


Holly Potter: The Early Years

by cheesew97



Series: The Biography of Holly Potter [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Genderbending, Gen, Genderbending, Hamish - Freeform, Prologue, jkrowling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-02
Updated: 2016-01-12
Packaged: 2018-04-02 13:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4061524
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheesew97/pseuds/cheesew97
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a village in England there was a house. In that house lived a family, not just any family, this one was quite special. This was the house of the Potters, James, Lily and their infant, Holly. </p><p>This is my take on the genderbent concept of the Potterverse(and yes that is a word now). I've genderbent most if not all characters in the story for the purposes of themes and plot devices I want. Please critique if you like it and/or think I can improve my style.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Adventures of Harriet Potter: Year 1(Definitive Edition)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2230386) by [Kleinnak](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kleinnak/pseuds/Kleinnak). 



Prologue

In a village in England there was a house. In that house lived a family, not just any family, this one was quite special. This was the house of the Potters, James, Lily and their infant, Holly.  
Lily was reading the latest letter from Sirius, one of James’s childhood friends. He and Remus, another friend, had recently been engaged in a duel to secure Gringotts, the wizarding bank. Other than minor cuts and bruises, he and Remus were fine. They were in fact planning to stop by at the next best opportunity. James was conjuring bubbles, which he would send whizzing around the living room, much to Holly’s amusement, who giggled at each one she popped. Lily smiled ruefully, James was insistent Holly would make the next great Seeker. 

A perfectly ordinary family evening, if one ignores the conjured bubbles, and that beside the occupants and a very select group of friends, Lloegr, Godric’s Hollow, did not strictly speaking exist. You see, the Potters, were a family of wizards, belonging to the hidden magical world coexisting beside our own, that of the Muggles. 

The reason for the house not being visible: the Fidelius Charm, a complex piece of magic that allowed only the location’s Secret Keeper to know its whereabouts unless he willingly divulged his secret to another. The wizarding world was experiencing something of a civil war, on one side the Ministry of Magic and the Order of the Phoenix, on the other, the Dark Lord Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters and dark creatures. Lily and James had recently been active participants in the Order of the Phoenix,, but information had suggested that Voldemort would try to target them directly. So they had gone into hiding in Godric’s Hollow. 

)(

Many miles away in a wet cave, a man stood. He sniffed the air twice, before approaching its mouth. Water dripped from stalactites above, making the going treacherous, but he persevered. His goal was in sight. 

Ignoring the ancient paintings on the wall, the man whispered a few words in a language nearly incomprehensible to anyone but a linguist, who would tell you the words were nonsense. 

Suddenly a chasm appeared at his feet, he smiled. 

Taking off his cloak, the man drew out a piece of wood some twelve inches in length, a wand. With a flourish he levitated himself off the ground and into the yawning maw of the earth. The chasm closed with an echoing slam above him. 

)(

“James, it’s getting late, we should put her to bed.” Lily groaned, rubbing her eyes. 

“Oh come on love, one last bubble.” James wheedled, prompting giggles from Holly. Lily rolled her eyes, just because her daughter shared hair and eyes didn’t mean she would be completely sensible. A giant bubble shrrwpmefed its way out of his wandtip, only for Holly to throw herself against it. With a resounding bang it burst, leaving Holly blinking rapidly in confusion. 

Seeing a tantrum approaching, Lily rushed to scoop up he daughter. She crooned as she rocked her back and forth. Holly gave James a glare. 

“Honestly James.” Lily admonished. “Night you.” She pecked his cheek and strode to the hallway to climb the stairs to Holly’s room. 

)(

A pedestal stood in the centre of the chamber, glowing softly red. The man approached, his wandtip alight. 

Upon reaching it, the man saw his goal, a black, leather-bound book whose runes glowed softly in the light of his wand. 

Flicking his wand, the man unlatched and wrenched the chains binding the book to its pedestal. The sounds rumbled in the vast rock chamber, but no creature stirred other than the intruder in a chamber that had not seen life in thousands of years. 

“So this is the secret of Herpo, after all these years.” He whispered, and opened the arcane tome. 

)(

Lily was just finished changing Holly’s nappy when James’s voice called out. 

“Sirius, is that you?” She froze, Sirius wasn’t due for another week. 

A high, cold laugh that would send shivers down any sane person’s spine echoed up to her. Lily shook her head. 

No, no, no, how could he have possibly found us? Lily’s thoughts swam dizzyingly in her head. 

“Lily,” James shouted. “get Holly upstairs, he’s here!”

Lily scrambled for her wand before realising it was still in the kitchen, how could she have been so sort-sighted? Now she was regretting not listening to Mad-Eye’s cries of “Constant vigilance!”. 

She jumped to slam the door shut as she heard the him call, “Avada kedavra!”. A thump told her that James was dead. Now footsteps could be heard approaching the door. 

)(

Images raced through his mind, a basilisk, the antechamber of the temple of Athena, the view of the Acropolis. The council was blind, only his basilisk could bring this Parris to justice. So they insisted he kept his “pet” on a leash, while they sent thousands of men to die at Troy. 

Fire, dragons, blood, the blood of innocents were on his hands. With this he had enough. He stood in a cold chamber, below the cave the locals called Y Gogarth. Primitive as these wild-haired barbarians were, their druids knew at least the location of this cave, the gateway of the otherworld. 

But he knew his time was ending, whoever this Ranesh had been, he had not been diligent in his work. Be it because of weaker skill or inconsistencies in the brithonic script, and Herpo had had to spend some ten years searching across these isles to find the pieces. But he knew that he was too weak to open a portal himself, that was why he had this book, with which to record all he knew of the foci for later generations of sorcerers to unlock. 

With a last sigh, Herpo cast his Horcrux into the pages. The pain that followed was unimaginable, endless remorse and suffering. Herpo felt his fingers burn and char as his magical core was used up. One great juddering sigh and Herpo exploded into a fireball of pain and anger. 

)(

“Bombarda!”

The door crashed open, revealing a Lily standing protectively over Holly’s crib. 

“No, not Holly, please, have mercy!” She begged.

“Stand aside woman, you need not be harmed!” Voldemort replied coldly.

“Take me, anything but Holly!”

Voldemort answered by lifting his wand once more. The green light once again flashed and struck Lily in the chest, knocking her off her feet.  
Her body crumpled by the wall. And in the crib a Holly began crying softly, somehow understanding what was happening around her.

Voldemort looked down at the girl, raising his wand a third time, he hesitated, as if following through would far reaching consequences he had just thought of. Waving them aside he said 

“Avada kedavra!”  
)(

The book fell from his grasp with a crash, its pages already burning to a crisp. The man fell to his knees with a shuddering gasp, he knew what he had to do.  
Now he had to ensure the Dark Lord never found his secret. 

)(

20 years later

Joanne stepped out of her car, the wind ruffled her hair. 

Berneray was sparsely populated and Joanne was thankful she hadn’t encountered any hiccups in her journey from Edinburgh. The mountains of Harris looked particularly spectacular in the evening low of the setting sun. 

Taking her shoulder bag from the passenger seat, Joanne began the short walk up to the house. She rang the doorbell. The sounds of shuffling could be heard from the other side. 

“Be with you in a moment!” A voice called. Not a second later the door opened. 

Holly Potter smiled when she saw who it was. “Hey Jo, how’s Harry?” She grinned. 

“Fine thanks Holly, you?”

“Step inside and I’ll show you.” She stepped to the side so Joanne could pass. An open door to the left of the hallway revealed a room undergoing makeover. 

“Hello Hamish!” Joanne called to Holly’s partner. “What’s going on?”

“Holly’ll tell you.” He beamed from where he was hovering six feet above the floor, painting a yellow star. 

“I’m pregnant.” She stayed when Joanne turned to her. 

“Congratulations!” Joanne laughed. “Since when?”

“A month so far, the morning sickness isn’t too bad. Come into the living room.” She led the way to their plush sofas and chairs. 

Sitting down in a red and gold armchair, Joanne asked. “But can’t you drink a potion or something.”

“True,” Holly replied as she sat in Hamish’s tartan one. “it would’ve made life easier, but I think if we rely too heavily on magic we lose touch with what Muggles have to put up with, which leads to arrogance and-well that’s how you heard about me.”

Joanne nodded in appreciation. 

Holly flicked out her wand and wafted two mugs of tea and a plate of biscuits to the coffee table in the centre of the room. “So how is my counterpart doing?” Joanne placed her bag next to the table.

“Book four now, so far so good.”

“Ah, what’s this one called?”

“The Goblet of Fire.” Joanne answered. “And you’ll never guess what?”

What?” Holly asked predictably. 

“They’ve made the first two into films.” She said simply. 

“No way!” Holly’s interest was perked. “What, with special-the whole lot?!”

“Yes, book sales have soared, everyone loves Harry Potter, you in effect.”

“Hamish’ll regret asking you not to add him.” Holly grinned. 

Joanne smirked conspiratorially. 

“So, you must really be here for the last interview though.” Holly ended that line of conversation in her unique way. 

“Yes,” Joanne reached over to grab a notebook and pen from her bag. “that would be great.”

“I have a suggestion for a title by the way.” Holly said before they began. Joanne nodded. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”


	2. Holly Potter's first year at Hogwarts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holly Potter thinks she is an ordinary girl. She lives with Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and cousin Dudley, who make her sleep in a cupboard under the stairs. Then Holy starts receiving mysterious letters and her life is changed for ever. She is whisked away by a beetle-eyed giant of a man and enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The reason: Holly Potter is a witch.

The Philosopher’s Stone

Holly shifted uncomfortably on the hard stone floor, the measly sleeping bag hardly sufficient to keep her warm. She etched out the last candle on her dusty cake. Dudley’s watch beeped, it was midnight and her birthday had officially begun, not that the Dursleys would care. 

“M-make a wish Holly” She shivered. 

Just as the dust blew away with her out-breath, the door to the cabin shook. BANG!

Holly leapt to her feet. Someone, or something, was trying to break down the door. Dudley woke with a start and Holly heard Vernon and Petunia climb down the stairs. 

“Wh-who’s there.” Vernon stuttered. And with a mighty crash, the door flew inwards. 

Illuminated by the cracks of lightning outside, the giant silhouette of a man called out. “Mind if come inside, pourin’ a gale ‘ere?!”

Without waiting for an answer, the largest person Holly had ever seen stomped into view. Behind a great bushy mane of hair sat two beady black eyes that surveyed the devastation. 

“Sorry ‘bout the mess, lemme put this door back.” It wasn’t quite good as new, but the worst of the storm was kept out. “Righ’, this place is cold inneh? ‘Ow about a fire to warm oursel’s.” From the end of a pink umbrella, two balls of flame ignited the fireplace, soon it was if it had never gone out. He glanced behind him as he gave the sofa the furniture equivalent of a spinal fracture, Vernon stood behind him, a shotgun pointed at his face. 

“Sir, you are breaking and entering, I d-demand you l-leave at o-o-o....” The words died in his throat as the man grabbed hold of the barrel. He twisted it upwards, causing a shell to misfire into what presumably was the bed upstairs from the feathers floating down. 

“Dry up Dursley you old prune!” He grunted. The Dursleys fled to a far corner of the room, leaving Holly to stand beside what had once been a sofa. “You must be Holly. Ain’t it yer birthday? Dumbledore told me.” Quite who that was didn’t matter at the moment, how did he know her name? “’Ere we go, baked it meself, might be squashed a bit, sorry.” He pulled a crumpled white box from his voluminous coat. A sniffling sound caused Holly to jump. She accepted before placing it on the floor next to her. 

“Hagrid, Keeper of keys and grounds at ‘Ogwarts, course you’ll know all about tha’.” The shake of her head must have perturbed him. 

“Whaddya mean no?! Don’t you know where they learnt it all, ‘bout where you came from?!” 

A second shake. “L-learnt what?” She asked, breaking her regular silence. 

“You’re a witch Holly.” Hagrid leaned forwards. “And a blightin’ good’er one if I ever set eyes on one.”

Holly blushed a deep red, redder than her hair. “Ha, no-there must be a mistake-this isn’t a party or anything-” Hagrid was deadly serious. He handed her a letter addressed to her in the same green ink as before. 

“Why don’t yeh read tha’ when we’re on our way.”

“No!” Vernon’s voice cut across them. “She will not be going.”

“And I suppose a great Muggle like yousel’’s gonna stop ‘er?” Holly glanced at him quizzically. “Non-magic folk.”

“I will not pay for some crackpot old fool to teach her magic tricks.”

“You knew?! All along a-and, and you never told me?!” Holly’s blood came to the boil, only the usual slap never came, Hagrid’s effect she supposed to herself. 

“Course we knew,” Petunia started. “my parents were so proud when Lily got her letter. We have, a witch in the family, can you believe it? And then, if you will, she got herself blown up.”

“But I thought she died in a car crash?”

In the blink of an eye, Hagrid was up on his feet, his pink umbrella pointing threateningly at the family. “Ferstly, never insult Albus Dumbledore in front of me, and secondly, never lie to Holly about her parents again.”

From behind Petunia’s back the sounds of Dudley scoffing Holly’s cake echoed loudly. With a flourish of his umbrella, Dudley had grown a pig’s tail and the Dursleys were tearing about the shack, trying to somehow restore normality through a well-rehearsed performance of utter panic. 

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone ‘bout tha’, not supposed to use magic outside ‘Ogwarts.” Hagrid pulled the door down again. “Well I’ll be off, you can come, plenty o’ space in me coat for you teh hide from the storm. Unless yer’d rather stay o’ course.” Hagrid stated from the doorway. 

Holly glanced back at the door, behind which the Dursleys cowered. 

Not a chance, Holly snorted to herself. In spite of inevitable cold and wet, Holly would much rather take Hagrid’s hand to a better world. 

)(

“Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full.” A voice in the compartment doorway broke Holly’s daydream. A tall, gangly girl was stood awkwardly in the doorway. Her orange hair was done up in two pigtails and she wore a large, brown jacket over her dress. 

“Sure, not like its crowded here.” Holly replied, shifting some of her things to her side. 

“I’m Ronnie Weasley by the way.” She introduced as she sat. Holly noticed that her dress appeared to be the newest piece of clothing she wore; the jacket looked old and well-used. 

“I saw you outside the train before we left, I’d love to have brothers like that.” Holly said wistfully. 

“Oh...I guess I’m kinda used to them playing pranks on me.” Ronnie clearly looked like she felt she had said the wrong thing. “What did you say your name was?”

“I’m Holly....Potter.” Said Holly quietly. 

Ronnie’s eyes widened. “Woah, I thought Fred and George were pulling my leg again. Thi-” She stopped when she looked at Holly’s face. 

“Can you please stop?!” Holly said forcefully. “You are the last person I want to start treating me like a hero; I don’t even remember what happened!” Tears stung her cheek. 

“I-I’m sorry.” Ronnie stuttered. “It’s just, your story was my favourite when I grew up.”

Holly’s look softened. “Oh, look I’m sorry Ronnie, I don’t want to lose my first friend. But please don’t treat like a hero, I want to be just Holly.”

“Ok, I can do that.” Ronnie smiled. 

“Anything off the trolley dears?” The snacks trolley had arrived. 

The girls turned to see what was on offer. 

“It’s ok, I’ve got sandwiches.” Ronnie turned down the offer in exchange for a pair of squashed corned beef sandwiches she had pulled from her pocket. 

Holly’s stomach grumbled as she took in all the food on offer. “Can I have a bit of everything?” She asked, pulling out a handful of golden galleons. 

Soon a large pile of sweets, snacks and drinks littered the compartment. 

“You didn’t tell me she had magically extended the boxes.” Holly groaned after her fourth pumpkin, Ronnie was on her eighth. 

“You never said you were that rich!” Ronnie retorted. They were silent for a moment, then burst into giggles. 

“Excuse me,” A third voice interrupted the laughter. A plump boy was looking at the pair timidly. He was accompanied by a fair-haired boy. Holly smiled, she was always up for another friend. “I’ve lost my toad, you haven’t seen it have you?”

“No sorry.” Holly replied. 

“A toad? I wouldn’t be worried about that, they’re out of fashion.” Ronnie reassured. 

“My granny’ll kill me if I’ve lost Trevor!” He cried. 

“Come on Nev, we haven’t tried all the compartments, he must be somewhere.” The other boy said to Neville in a soft Scottish accent. 

The boys left Ronnie and Holly to their bounty. 

But not a minute later, a brown-haired boy with a bush on his head opened the door. 

“Have any of you ladies seen a toad-”

“No! We just told the others we hadn’t seen one.” Ronnie gasped out, her mouth full of chocolate. 

“Then I shan’t trouble you again.” He sniffed, wrinkling his nose. 

“Can I do the talking next time?” Holly asked. 

“I was just tellin’ him what we told the guy earlier.” Ronnie defended. Holly shook her head with a smile. 

Holly picked up a Chocolate Frog. “These aren’t real are they?” Holly changed the conversation. 

“Ha no, it’s just a charm.” Holly unwrapped it, a brown flash leapt through her fingers. She yelped. “Watch out! Quick Holly!” Holly dived for the frog which was making its way to the open window. 

“Yes!” She cried in triumph as she caught it in mid-leap. 

“Whew, that could’ve gone out the window. You have to be careful,” Ronnie cautioned. “they can go really far in their first leap. Check the card, they’re collectable.”

Holly flipped it over to reveal a bespectacled wizard who looked somewhere in his nineties, a long white beard filling the lower half of the portrait. “Professor Dumbledore: Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon blood and his work on alchemy with his partner Nicolas Flamel.”

“Oh,” Ronnie looked disappointed. “I’ve got ten of him already.”

They were once again interrupted by the arrival of a girl with platinum blonde hair, framed by two hulking boys. 

“I’ve heard that Holly Potter is on the train.” The girl, whom Holly remembered from her trip to Diagon Alley, said sneeringly. 

“That, would be me.” Holly answered reservedly. 

She looked at her, and then stuck out her hand rather robotically. “These are Crabbe and Goyle,” She said without seemingly thinking. “my friends. The name’s Malfoy, Dracia Malfoy.”

A snort from Ronnie broke Dracia’s attention to sneer at her. 

“Think my name’s funny? No need to ask your name! My father tells me Weasleys are ginger, dirty and have too many children to care for.” She sneered. 

“What did you say?!” Ronnie’s ears flushed red. 

“I should have told you Potter that some wizarding families are better than others. You shouldn’t mix with the wrong sort.” Dracia indicated Ronnie. “I can help you there.” The hand was there again. 

 

“Thanks, but no thanks Dracia, Ronnie’s a friend.”

Dracia looked unsure what to do next. “Come on, let’s go.”

As they left, Crabbe reached for the box of Bertie Botts beans, only to yell as a pair of sharp incisors bit into his index finger. A fat rat was clinging to it as he flung his arm around trying to dislodge it. 

With a fat whump, the rat collided with the window and the trio dashed out yelling all the way to their compartment. 

“Yours?” Holly asked of the rat, which appeared to have fallen asleep again. 

“Yeah, Scabbers isn’t usually like that, fat git.” Ronnie picked him up by the tail. “Fred told me a spell to turn him yellow, spice things up a bit. Would you like to see it.” Holly nodded eagerly. Ronnie placed Scabbers on her lap and pulled out a battered and chipped wand. “Ahem, sunshine, daisies-”

The blonde and bushy-haired boys from earlier were standing outside again. Holly gestured them inside to sit beside them. 

“Was it you who were responsible for that ruckus?”The bushy-haired boy asked. 

“Yeah.” Holly replied. He didn’t seem to approve. 

The other boy grinned however. “Nice one. The Malfoys are stuck-up prats.” He saw Ronnie’s wand. “Ooo, magic right?”

Ronnie, obviously disgruntled, resumed her spell. “Sunshine, daisies, butter-mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow.”Scabbers rolled onto his back, fast asleep. 

“That wasn’t a real spell was it?” The bushy-haired boy asked sceptically. “Of course I’ve tried a few from my books, and they all turned out right.” The blonde boy squirmed sheepishly in his seat. “For example: Reparo!” He flicked at his wand at the now fixed clamps on Holly’s trunk. 

The boy looked at his watch. “We really should go and change, I expect we’ll be arriving soon.” The countryside outside had gotten wilder and wilder over the journey. He stood, indicating the blonde boy to follow him. “I recommend you do the same.”

Before he left the blonde boy turned to them. “Sorry about Heracles,” He said to Ronnie in particular, who was fuming quietly. “I said I’d help him at Hogwarts what with him being Muggleborn. He means well, but he’s a wee bit rubbish socially. I’m Hamish by the way, nice to meet yeh....?”

“Ronnie Weasley.”

“Holly Potter.”

“Oh, wow!” His eyes widened, but before Holly could say anything he continued. “Never thought I’d meet you, good to see ye’re not spoilt or anything. It would be crap if yeh  
weren’t nice.”

And with that he was gone, leaving the girls to change into their robes. 

)(

“If I see anyone in the air they’ll be out of Hogwarts faster than you can say Quidditch.” Madame Hooch called over her shoulder as she led Neville to the hospital wing. 

“Did you see his fat face?” Malfoy’s drawl cut across the silence once Madame Hooch was out of sight. “Maybe if the twerp had thought to check this,” She brandished Neville’s Remembrall. “he would’ve remembered to fall on his fat arse.” The Slytherins guffawed. 

Holly whipped around. “Shut up Malfoy.”

“What did you say to me?” She said in shock, the pupils fell silent, not many would talk back to Malfoy’s bullying. 

“Are you deaf as well as mean? I said shut it, leave Neville alone.”

“Or what? You gonna protect him.” Malfoy sneered. “You know what, I won’t keep it Potter, you’re not worth the fight; I’ll just leave it for Longbottom to find, how about up on the roof?” She whizzed upwards on her broom. 

Holly screwed up her face in frustration. 

Hang on, she thought, I have a broomstick, why am I still on the ground? With that thought Holly threw her leg over her broom. Heracles had other ideas as he pushed through to her, Hamish in tow. 

“Holly, no way are you doing it, you heard what Madame Hooch said-” Heracles was cut short by Holly kicking hard off the ground. 

At first Holly thought she’d made a terrible mistake, but then the rush of air brought her to her senses. She was flying and it was beautiful. For once she actually felt free; Holly could do anything up in the air. 

Then the sight of Malfoy on her broom dragged Holly back to the task at hand. 

“Give it here Malfoy!” She yelled. “Or I’ll knock you off your broom.”

“I’d like to see you try.” Malfoy sneered, covering her shock at Holly’s audacity. 

Holly tucked her legs up and leant forward, hugging the broom. She shot forwards, missing Malfoy by inches as her nemesis flipped around her broom handle. 

But the move had shaken Malfoy, who cried. “If you want it so bad, why not catch it?” And with that she threw the Remembrall, lobbing it high as she retreated to the ground, laughing. 

Holly saw the sunlight glint off the glass of the orb as it sailed lazily through the air and began its descent. Once more Holly threw herself flat on her broom, streaking after the Remembrall. Wind whistled in her ears as she got closer and closer, the ground was coming up fast. 

Distantly, Holly heard screams, but her whole attention was focused on the little glass ball creeping closer to her outstretched hand. 

At the last possible second, Holly’s hand grasped it. She pulled up hard, her arms burning from the strain, to avoid the grass. With a skid and a slight stumble, Holly arrived safely back on the ground. A mob of Gryffindors swamped her the minute she was off her broom, Ronnie leading the charge. 

“Holly that was amazing!” She cried

“Cool!” Seamus Finnigan yelled. 

“Yeh almost-but yeh didn’t!” Hamish shouted happily. 

Holly ears were ringing with the praise, her face a deep red, when a stern voice cut across the jubilant first-years. 

“Holly Potter.” Professor McGonagall said crisply, her face perceptibly white from shock. “Never in all my years-come with me Potter.”

)(

The Halloween feast was gorgeous, food brimmed Holly’s plate, and Ronnie barely stopped eating to ask Holly about Quidditch practice. 

And then Professor Quirrel burst into the great hall. “TROLL! Troll in the dungeon!” He stopped short halfway through, the room was making an impression of a mausoleum.  
“Thought you ought to know.”

And with that he promptly fainted. The hall was still for a moment, before erupting into noise. 

“Silence!” Professor Dumbledore’s voice cut across the screaming and the hall fell silent again. “Prefects, you will lead your houses to their common rooms, teachers will follow me to deal with the intruder.” And with that Percy took control in his pompous way. 

“Come on first-years, you heard him, follow me!” They trooped out, trying their best to avoid Quirrel, though a few managed to stand on his hand. 

They were halfway to the common room, when Holly stopped. 

“What is it?” Ronnie asked. 

“Heracles and Hamish, they haven’t been seen since Charms.” She cried. 

“I think they’re in the toilets, Heracles sounded pretty upset.” Dean Thomas told them. 

Ronnie blanched. “We should go get them, if they’re not in the common room.”

“We HAVE to find them, “ Holly corrected. “which floor.”

“Third I think.” Dean called over his shoulder. 

The pair rushed back the way they had come, ignoring the calls of the others. 

They skidded to a stop at the third floor corridor. The sound of grunting and a heavy dragging sound could be heard echoing down the corridor. They hid behind once of the buttresses. 

“I don’t think the troll’s in the dungeon anymore.” Ronnie whispered as its large silhouette tread its way across their view. “Hang on! It’s heading to the boys’ toilet, quick Holly!” Ronnie sprinted after it, Holly hot on her heels. 

A yell spurred them onwards, Hamish had found the troll. 

They skidded at the entrance. The troll stood in front of smashed cubicles, Hamish right in front of it. 

“Oh, hey guys.” He called upon seeing them. “Heracles is here somewhere.”

The troll turned to greet them. Its skin was concrete, fat, gnarly legs leg to a bulging gut and two, low-slung arms, one of which held a club. On its wide shoulders sat a small head with beady eyes and a large, snotty nose. 

Holly gulped, Hagrid hadn’t said anything about battling a troll. 

Hamish started throwing bits of cubicle at it. The bits of wood seemed to have no effect on it until a particularly large plank struck its ear. The troll slowly turned to face the nuisance. 

Hamish, realising its stupidity, launched himself to the side as the troll’s club. 

“Heracles, where are you?!” Ronnie cried. 

A shift in the rubble revealed the bushy-haired boy, he looked up dazedly at the troll before Hamish tackled out of the way of being turned into human jelly.  
In a move that would certainly be looked on as the most stupid thing she could have done, Holly ran up to the troll and leapt onto its back, clutching her hands around its neck. 

The sudden weight surprised it, even more so when Holly shoved her wand up its nose. With a shake, Holly was in the troll’s grasp, who wasted no time in failing to smack her with his club. 

“Do something!” She yelled. 

“What?!” Ronnie screamed. 

“Anything!”

 

Suddenly, Holly found herself flat on her back, the troll having dropped her as it studied its club hanging some three feet above its head. Glancing behind her she saw Ronnie pointing her wand at the club, her face scrunched up in concentration. 

With a gasp, Ronnie released the club to thunk on the troll’s head. Inexorably it began to topple forward, tongue stuck between its teeth. Holly scrabbled backwards desperately to avoid being squashed. With a sickening thud, it crashed to the ground, inches from Holly’s feet. Hamish and Heracles hurried over to Holly and Ronnie, brushing off the dust from their cloaks. 

“Yeh can’t’ve killed it.” Hamish breathed. 

“Probably just knocked out.” Holly affirmed. 

A scuffle drew their heads to the gaggle of professors stood at the doorway. Professor McGonagall stepped forward. 

“Explain yourselves Potter! What happened?” She sounded more worried than angry. 

Holly opened her mouth to speak when Heracles cut across her. “It’s my fault Professor, I’ve read about trolls, and, well I thought I might be able to take it on. If it weren’t for my friends here I might not be telling you this.” He gestured to Holly, Ronnie and Hamish. 

“Mr Granger I-never, in all my days.” She composed herself. “Fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor for your stupidity, but each of you will receive five points for sheer dumb luck. Not many first-years could take on a fully-grown mountain troll and live to tell about it. You may go.”

Holly stooped to retrieve her wand, whipping off its mucus on her cloak. As she stood she didn’t fail to notice the deep gash on Professor Snape’s leg. She glanced suspiciously at him but he took no notice. 

From that day forward, Heracles Granger and Hamish Williams were friends of Holly and Ronnie, with Heracles helping them with homework and Hamish keen to talk about Quidditch and flying in general. 

)(

The air in the changing room was tense. Holly slipped on her trousers before pulling on her jumper, it could quite cold when flying at speed. Several straps and paddings later, and Holly emerged from her cubicle. Oliver was waiting for her before he began. 

“Right team, this it.”

“The big one.” Fred stated. 

“We’ve learnt Oliver’s speech by heart.” George whispered to her. Holly snorted. 

“Guys, not today.”

“Sorry Captain!” The twins chimed. 

“We’ve got a great side, damn, probably the best team we’ve had in years. Just don’t tell Charlie I said that. But in all seriousness we’ve practised hard,” He continued. “rain or shine.”

“My arse can testify to that.” Fred muttered. 

“Alicia, Alice, Katy, you know the manoeuvres. Fred, George, I haven’t seen Beaters better than you. And Holly, even if you aren’t a secret anymore, the Slytherins haven’t seen you fly properly anyway so they’ll be in for quite the shock.” He ignored the jibe. A roar from the crowds outside finished anything else he might have said. “Good luck everyone, let’s show these Slytherins how to play Quidditch!”

They trooped out into the bright sunshine, Holly’s stomach still impersonating a washing machine. The Slytherins were lined up already, the hulking Marcus Flint smirking. 

“Captains!” Madame Hooch marched onto the pitch. “Shake hands, I want a nice clean game, from all of you.” Oliver and Flint shook hands, though it looked like each was trying to crush the fingers of the other. Holly winced. 

Hooch walked over to the chest and gave it a kick, springing it open and releasing the bludgers. A flash of gold signalled the Snitch’s escape. With two hands, she picked up the red quaffle. 

“Mount your brooms.” And she threw the quaffle upwards as she blew her whistle. 

“And Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor has the quaffle!” The voice of the twins’ friend, Lee Jordan echoed around the stadium. “What a girl she is, I keep telling her but she still won’t go out with me!”

“JORDAN!” McGonagall’s voice admonished. 

“Just interesting information, professor, that’s all!”

Holly giggled as she rushed upwards, the air rippled her cloak behind. She came to a rest above one of the towers, scanning the air for the elusive Snitch. 

“Ten points to Gryffindor!” Holly punched the air. 

As time passed, Holly moved to a new position, trying to ignore the Slytherin Seeker, Bletchley, who had taken up the habit of tailing her. 

Things were going well for Gryffindor until Oliver was hit by two bludgers, removing him from play. The Slytherin goals began to mount and Fred and George became more aggressive. 

Suddenly, Holly’s Nimbus jolted! It began bucking as if it was trying to throw her off. Holly screamed and clung on for dear life. Wind roared in her ears, drowning out the sounds of a crowd too preoccupied on a game to see the girl struggle. 

The next thing Holly knew, she was hanging from her broom, suspended yards in the air. The broom continued to try and shift her from her perch, but Holly’s grip was as hard as steel. It whizzed in circles until her left hand gave out. It slipped and Holly yelled in fright, this was not how she had imagined her first match was going to be like. A bludger rocketed past her. 

Then, as quickly as it had happened, her broom stopped and hovered. Shaking her head in wonder, Holly wasted no time in mounting it again and shooting off to scan the pitch. 

There, a glint of gold next the Slytherin keeper’s foot. Tucking her feet onto the braces, Holly sped to his position. 

“What’s this?” Lee’s voice echoed. “It seems that the Gryffindor Seeker’s spotted something, could it be the Snitch?” A wave of murmurings swept over the stands as people heard him. 

At first he seemed alarmed at her antics, but realisation dawned on his face when he saw the Snitch hovering by him. The Snitch itself shot off behind the goalposts just as Holly rocketed to where it had been, the Slytherin falling off his broom as he attempted to grab her. 

“Ooo, I wouldn’t mess with Holly Potter when she’s got her eye on the Snitch there Parker!”

The appearance of Higgs, the Slytherin Seeker, literally threw Holly off-balance, as he collided with her, his superior weight gaining him the advantage. In turn, Holly threw herself back against him, and the two followed the Snitch, struggling to throw the other off the chase. 

The Snitch suddenly plummeted groundwards, the Seekers sped after it. 

The green of the pitch grew larger and larger, until Holly swore she could see individual blades of grass. Higgs blanched at the last moment and pulled up. Holly persevered. 

“Oh shit!” She yelled to herself as she pulled up, inches from death. She continued to fly horizontally, the Snitch creeping closer to her. Holly stretched out her hand to catch. She strained to do so. 

Then Holly did something very stupid and brave: she launched herself off her broom towards the Snitch. 

Skidding along the grass at several miles an hour was not the most pleasant of sensations, Holly thought. Something clogged her throat as she slowed to a stop. Rolling over Holly coughed, but the something wouldn’t budge. Holly felt arms lifting her up; Madame Hooch put her arms around Holly’s stomach and pushed in. Once, twice, three times she executed the manoeuvre. Then with a pop, a golden ball plopped out of Holly’s mouth into the grass. 

Without Madame Hooch’s arms to hold her, Holly stumbled to pick up the Snitch. A shrill whistle from behind signalled she had seen it. The match came to a close. 

A tide of red and gold descended upon Holly as she heard Marcus Flint argue with Madame Hooch. 

“She didn’t catch it professor, she swallowed it!”

Holly, you were great!” Ronnie’s voice cried in her right ear. 

“Brilliant!” Heracles cried. 

Wood was beaming. The mob swept Holly up to the castle for a celebratory feast. Hamish sidled up to her. 

“Well done by the way,” He yelled over the shouting. “I think some thank yous are in order.”

She gave him a quizzical glance. 

“We’ll tell yeh later.”

)(

Holly crept silently into the chamber, the sounds of Snape and Filch walking away were muffled by the door. 

In the centre of the room stood a tall, gild-framed mirror. Holly, her interest piqued, moved to stand in front of it. Throwing off the cloak, Holly gasped.  
Before her reflection smiled, but that wasn’t what drew her attention. Behind Mirror-Holly stood a mob of people. And directly behind her reflection were stood a man, with ruffled raven hair and hazel eyes, and a woman, with red hair and bright green eyes, like Holly’s. 

These were her parent, Lily and James Potter. The beamed at her. 

“Mum? Dad?” Her voice barely a whisper. They nodded. Several of the older Potters waved from the back; Holly could see now she shared her nose with a few, and some had her freckles. 

Holly could have stood for hours just staring, but she had to share this with Ronnie. 

Grabbing her cloak on the way, Holly dashed back to the Gryffindor common room, and Ronnie. 

“Holly? Wassup...why?” Ronnie said blearily. 

“My parents, I’ve seen them! No time, come on Ronnie!” Holly practically yanked her from her bed. 

They swiftly, in spite of Ronnie’s grumblings, made their way down to the Mirror. 

“Well?” Holly asked expectantly as Ronnie stood in front of the Mirror. “Can you see them?”

“Er...oh wow!” Ronnie exclaimed quietly. 

“What is it?!”

“It’s me, but I look older,” She began to explain. “I’m, holding the Quidditch Cup, and I’m Head Girl!”Holly was puzzled, it was nothing like what she had seen before. “Maybe this Mirror shows the future!” Ronnie noticed Holly’s hurt look. “But, your parents are, dead. Hang on.” 

She stepped to the top of the Mirror. “Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi? It’s a code!” Ronnie jumped up and down. “I used to use them all the time at home.” She explained. Ronnie stood reading the text for a moment, muttering to herself. “Got it! I show not your face but your heart’s desire.....woah.” Ronnie finished. She turned to look at Holly. “Well I guess that lets us both down.” She moved back to the door. “We should get some sleep, come on Holly.”

In the weeks that followed, Holly spent much of her nights alone with the Mirror. Ronnie often asked her why she looked so tired each morning, to which Holly replied she was researching for Nicolas Flamel from one of the books she had stolen from the restricted section, all of which lay gathering dust under her bed. 

Until one night a voice asked. “Come again Holly?” 

Holly leapt four feet in the air before crashing down in a heap of legs, arms and cloak. She whipped her head round to see Professor Dumbledore leaning against a desk. 

He smiled. “Sorry to have disturbed you Holly, but I am afraid I have reached the stage where I need not a cloak to conceal me.”

She stuttered. “S-sorry s-sir, I’ll go pack-ck my things.”

“Holly,” He interrupted. “I am not going to expel a student for curiosity, the thirst for knowledge has led to many great feats in the past. Let me ask you a question instead.” He moved to sit on one of the steps leading down to the Mirror. 

“Do you know what the Mirror of Erised shows Holly?”

“Your heart’s desire.”

“Exactly, the happiest man could stand in front of the mirror and see nought but his reflection. For he would have all that he desires.” He continued. “You see your parents, a symbol of love and family that has been sadly lacking in your life until now. Now you have friends and a school that treasure you, not for what you did, but for who you are.” He sighed. “But tomorrow the mirror shall be moved to a more secure location and you must promise me not to go looking for it again Holly, it does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” He guided her to the door, handing her the cloak.

“Professor, might I ask, what you see when you look into the mirror.”Holly asked. 

“I Holly, I see myself wearing a pair of warm, cotton socks. A man can never have enough, yet people insist on sending me books at Christmas.” His eyes twinkled. 

Holly slipped out of the door and donned her cloak. She heard a soft sigh behind her as the door closed. 

It’s probably nothing, she mused. 

)(

“So, apart from that,” Hamish summarised, referencing how both Ronnie and Neville had ended up in the hospital wing. “Holly was amazing.” Holly turned into a tomato. “But you were, come on Heracles, get yer head outta that book and tell ‘er.”

“Yes yes, I quite agree.” He murmured, his nose still buried in it. Holly sometimes wondered how he didn’t need glasses. 

“Or at least engage in the conversation, our friends are spending the night with Madame Pomfrey. I’m surprised Holly isn’t as well.”

“Only minor bruising she said.” Holly explained of her run-in with a bludger. 

“Yeh know, I don’t get how ye’re so determined to get a flying ball that even after a bludger ye’re still willing to risk yer life, flying insane moves, you sure the Nimbus is still ok?”

She giggled. “Ha, I think so. Chocolate frog?”

“No thanks, I’m stuffed.”

Holly opened another pack, popping the frog quickly into her mouth before it could escape. She glanced at the card. “Dumbledore again.” She paused before she tossed it in the bin. “Wait...noted for his work in alchemy with Nicolas Flamel, the only know maker of the Philosopher’s Stone. I knew his name sounded familiar!”

Heracles jumped from his reading. “Philosopher’s Stone? I think I have a book on that.” He leapt to his feet and dashed to the boys’ dorms. 

“He always has a book on somethen’.” Hamish muttered. 

“Jealous?”

“No, Heracles is obsessed with learning by the book, I like reading, but I prefer to try out the magic first.” He retorted. 

Soon enough, Heracles returned carrying a large tome which he set on the low table. 

“I took this out for some light reading.” He began, Hamish grinned. “Let me see.” He carefully turned several pages. “Here, the renowned alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, is the sole owner of the Philosopher’s Stone, an object rumoured to produce the Elixir of life. Mr Flamel recently celebrated his 517th birthday and enjoys a quiet life with his wife Perenia.”

Hamish started. “So that’s what Snape’s after, or whoever’s trying to get to the Stone.” Holly gave him a look. “Well we don’t know for sure.”

)(

“If you’ve got something to say Dracia, say it.” Holly gritted her teeth. 

“I wasn’t going to say anything Potter.” She replied coldly. “Are you scared or something?”

“No.” She said defiantly. 

“Pfft, honestly, this is a servant’s job. I shall speak to my father about Filch’s detentions.”Malfoy boasted. 

Fang padded silently next to them. He whimpered suddenly. 

In the clearing before them, lay the unicorn. It’s neck was at an odd angle, and blood oozed from a great gash in its side. Malfoy gasped and ran back the way they had come.  
However Holly stood frozen, a rustling sound was coming from behind the unicorn. A hooded figure was gorging itself on blood from the beast’s back. It looked up from its feasting and saw her. Holly screamed and stumbled back to the bushes. It followed. 

Holly began to feel a pressure building behind her scar, with each step the figure took, the greater it became. She fell backwards as a root tripped her, banging her head painfully on a trunk. The ringing in her ears only served to add to Holly’s pain as the figure crouched in fro not of her and began moving its hands over her legs. Holly saw a glimpse of its face. 

Then her skull split in the most intense pain she had ever experienced. Holly screamed, her own cries deafened by the axe thudding into her brain. 

And as quickly as it had started, the pain stopped. A horse-man was rearing his front legs before the cowering hooded figure, who turned and fled. The centaur turned to Holly. 

“Holly Potter, are you alright? It is not safe for people, least of all you to be wandering the forest this night.” He spoke softly but firmly. 

“I-what was that?” Holly asked, her head still throbbing gently. 

“A shade of a man of darkness. Did you know that unicorns, beautiful as they are, have a secret?” She shook her head. “The second one’s blood passes your lips you are cursed to a half-life.”

Holly blanched. “But, who would want such a life?” The realisation came quickly. “Voldemort!”

“And do you know what is hidden in the castle at this very moment? What a creature like he would covet?”

“The Philosopher’s Stone.”

“Come Holly Potter, you must get away from here, I believe Hagrid is nearby, I will take you to him.” He stopped in front of a large log. “You may ride on my back for the journey Holly Potter. If need be, call me Firenze.”

)(

Holly took the steps two at a time before coming to a halt. Below her in the chamber, past the columns was-

“Professor Quirrel?”

The professor turned to greet her. “Expecting Snape? Yes, he does have that aura.”

“But at the Quidditch match...he-” Holly began as she continued her descent to Quirrel before he cut her off. 

“Tried to kill you? No sweet girl, I tried to kill you!” He shouted, forcing her to stop. “But of course next to Snape who would doubt p-poor, s-snivelling P-professor Quirrel.” Quirrel turned to the mirror behind him. Holly took a step back, it was the Mirror of Erised. “Now stay there while I solve this latest riddle.”

Holly’s scar prickled. A voice whispered weakly from Quirrel. “Ask the girl, she knows.”

Holly was surprised when Quirrel actually answered. “Of course master. Potter! Come here!” he beckoned. Holly’s legs felt like lead as she crossed the short distance between them. Quirrel positioned her in front of the mirror. “What do you see?”

Holly’s eyes widened as she saw, not her family like the times before, but her reflection give her a wink. It held a ruby gem that pulsated with a red light, and dropped it into its pocket. Holly felt a sudden weight in her own jean pocket. 

“N-nothing.” She replied simply. 

“She lies!” The strange voice hissed and Holly’s scar began to warm up. 

Holly yelped as Quirrel made a grab for her while she dashed back the way she came. 

“Stop her!” And Quirrel raised his hand, causing flames to erupt around the pillars. Holly stumbled and fell painfully, knocking her shoulder. “Let me see her with my own eyes.”

By now Holly’s scar was giving her a throbbing headache and Holly was having trouble concentrating. 

“M-master, you’re not strong enough.” Quirrel protested. 

“I am strong enough for this.”

With a growing feeling of dread in her stomach and rising pain from her scar, Holly turned to see Quirrel gently unwinding his turban. His head looked smaller without the turban, almost comically so. Then he began to turn around. 

The back of Quirrel’s head wasn’t really the back of his head. A second face, deformed with red eyes stared back at Holly: Voldemort. 

“Ah Holly, we meet again. Now I will ask again, show me what you have in your pockets!”

“No!” Yelled Holly. 

“But why choose death when you can join me and live forever, once I have the Elixir won’t need the weak body of Quirrel and his perversions.”

“I’ll never join you, you killed my parents!” 

“Oh Holly, your parents would be proud of you, standing up for what you believe in like that.” Voldemort hissed, and Holly had the feeling he was toying with her. “They too were defiant until the end. But tell me, you must miss your parents; together we can bring them back. All you have to do is give me the stone.”  
Holly felt the stone and pulled it from her pocket, watching the flames’ reflections flicker on its surface. 

“Atta girl!” He pulled his face into a grotesque mockery of a smile. “Forget good and evil, there is only power and those too weak to seek it.”

Then Holly pocketed the stone. “Liar! What stops you from killing me when I give it to you?!”

“Kill the bitch!”Voldemort ordered. 

Quirrel turned around and flew towards Holly, arms outstretched. She gave a yelp and tripped on a step, sending her head crashing down. The world was a blur as Holly quickly recovered, only to find Quirrel bearing down on her. Hands gripped her throat as if to strangle her. 

And Holly truly screamed, her scar wasn’t so much burning as splitting her head in two with an inferno of pain. Distantly, Holly heard a man screaming and felt Quirrel’s hands leave her neck. Then darkness took her. 

)(

Birdsong permeated Holly’s darkness. But that couldn’t be right, she thought, birds don’t like the dark. 

A rustle and a few coughs followed it. 

It took several moments for Holly to emerge, blinking, from her dream. She was lying in the hospital wing, white sheets and pyjamas, the lot. 

“Good morning Holly,” Professor Dumbledore was sat on a neighbouring bed “though I fear Poppy may dislike my use of the term given the time. Half past eleven in case you wondering.”

“P-professor Dumbledore?” Holly asked, confused as to how she found herself in the infirmary, surrounded by boxes and wrappers of various sweets. 

“Tokens from your admirers. What happened between you and Voldemort is a complete secret, so naturally,” His eyes twinkled in amuzement. “the whole school knows. I believe the toilet seat the Weasley twins sent you is waiting for on your dorm bed. Wondering how you arrived here? Well, when I arrived at the Ministry by thestral, I discovered to my dismay that I was not indeed expected. I therefore sensed my presence would be better spent elsewhere, at Hogwarts. 

“You see I had a terrible feeling that you were in danger. So I set off at once, intercepting the owl Heracles had sent to inform me of the very danger I had feared. 

“I got here soon after and headed to the forbidden third-floor corridor, where I found Miss Weasley, who you will be pleased to know made a full recovery, with Mr Williams and Granger. They pointed me in the direction you had taken. Needless to say I followed you. 

“Thankfully I made it just in time to save you, Professor Quirrel was less fortunate. And then I bore you here to the infirmary.”

“But, professor, what happened to the stone?!”

“I thought you might ask me that.” He smiled. “Fear not Holly, the stone is safe from Voldemort. He swiftly fled after I came, leaving Quirrel to die, and I think this defeat is a significant setback for him. As for the stone, it was destroyed earlier this morning. I have talked to Nicolas and we both feel that it is for the best; he has enough Elixir for he and Perennial to settle their affairs before they depart us.”

“But what about Professor Quirrel?!” Holly asked. 

“You must wonder what happened between the pain?” Holly nodded. “When Quirrel attacked you, he and Voldemort encountered a magic far more powerful than anything they had felt so far. Love Holly. When your mother cast herself in front of you the night she died, she implanted a final gift, her sacrifice and love for you led to Voldemort’s curse rebounding.” He sighed. “That is why Quirrel could not bear to touch you.”

“Thank you professor.” Holly smiled, grateful for the time he took to explain events. 

"One more thing Holly. You will not be returning to the Dursleys this summer.” Holly’s jaw dropped. “Yes, I went to visit them whilst you were here, and it seems that despite my best efforts they have not treated you as a person. I was both deeply angered by this, and regretful that it was i who entrusted you to their care in the first place, you will forgive me I hope.

“I have thus made arrangements for a Muggle inquiry into their treatment of Dudley, who is suffering from equally bad parenting. And or you to spend your summers at the homes of your friends, whose parents couldn’t be more pleased.

“Now I believe there are three very anxious people who wish to talk to you, perhaps you might indulge them. Though not before a take a Bertie Botts.” Professor Dumbledore slipped his hand inside an opened box and popped it in his mouth. “Alas,” He grimaced. “earwax....I once had one of vomit you know. Good bye Holly my dear, take care.”  
Holly giggled as Professor Dumbledore left the room, opening the door for Ronnie, Heracles and Hamish to come bursting in. 

Holly grinned, she couldn’t wait to tell them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the late update, the internet was down for a couple days(ikr, in this day and age, how did I ever cope ;) ). Expect updates to be slow on this anyway due to my life being fairly hectic atm. 
> 
> If there are any spelling of grammatical mistakes please let me know. And any constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.


	3. Update

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not really an update guys, just to say "I told you so" when I mentioned how long it would take me to actually update this. I'm partway through CoS atm, so I haven't abandoned this yet.   
> The main reasons for this being that I've just returned from half a month's work in France, my house is currently a mess with my room being renovated, and I have summer work that needs completing before term starts in September.   
> So apologies for that. :)

**Not really an update guys, just to say "I told you so" when I mentioned how long it would take me to actually update this. I'm partway through CoS atm, so I haven't abandoned this yet. The main reasons for this being that I've just returned from half a month's work in France, my house is currently a mess with my room being renovated, and I have summer work that needs completing before term starts in September. So apologies for that. :)**


	4. The second year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holly Potter has spent the past month living her dream. An entire summer away from her dreaded relatives, the Dursleys. In fact, she's more than ready for her second year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Or at least she thinks she is. 
> 
> First she starts hearing voices, then Ronnie's sister, Ginny disappears....someone, or something from Hogwarts' past has returned.   
> At least she still has Quidditch.

**The Chamber of Secrets**

The car skidded to a halt outside what some might tentatively call a house. In reality it looked more akin to several houses piled on top of one another very precariously. They were held up by a system of wooden beams, ladders and, Holly assumed, magic, for there was no other way it could have withstood any strong wind.

Not that wind would be much of an issue in the country surrounding the small village of Ottery St Catchpole. It was a land of fields where sheep grazed and farmers waited for their harvests. Behind the farm was a patch of woods, green with summer leaves.

“Here we are then,” Hamish’s father announced in an accent much like his son’s, though thicker. “out you get, and don’t forget your things.”

Holly, Heracles and Hamish piled out of the car and scattered onto the ground, groaning.

“Sorry Holly” Hamish grunted as he lifted himself off her, offering his hand which Holly gladly took to heave herself up.

Hamish’s father was opening the boot and handed them their bags.

“So this is where Ronnie lives” Heracles breathed.

“Aye, the dark home of House Weasley” Hamish proclaimed behind him, grinning.

“Come on, I need to talk to Mrs Weasley” Hiss father called from in front, already halfway to the front door.

They sprinted to get there first.

The door opened just as Holly arrived, sending her face-first onto the carpet inside. Heracles and Hamish could only laugh as she got back up to her feet.

“Hi Holly,” Ronnie grinned, her hair for once not in pigtails. “Hi Hamish, hello Heracles.”

“Hello Ronnie,” Hamish stifled his giggles.

“Yes, morning Ronnie,” Heracles smiled.

“Ronnie dear,” Ronnie’s ears reddened, “aren’t you going to let them in?”

“Yeah mum, come on, before she gets here.” Ronnie ushered them, along with Hamish’s father, into the apparent living room.

But before Ronnie could say anything else, Mrs Weasley entered the room. A short plump woman, she gave off waves of homeliness and good home cooking.

Her face burst into a beam as she caught sight of the group.

“Iain! So good to see you!” She bustled her way to embrace him.

“Molly, the same to you.”

“Will you be staying for dinner? I’m making toad in the hole.”

“Afraid not tonight, I need to finish planning the expedition, perhaps another time.”

“Never mind then, give my regards to Eleri.”

“And mine to Arthur. Have fun Hamish,” he bid them as he exited.

“Thanks dad.” Hamish muttered, causing Holly to giggle.

“Well then Ronnie, why don’t you show your friends to their rooms,” Mrs Weasley told Ronnie, who nodded.

The four of them trooped up the stairs in the centre of the room, hefting their bags higher. They continued past two landings where the toilet and Mr and Mrs Weasleys’ bedroom were located.

Stopping at a door, Ronnie pushed inwards to reveal a room with three beds and various boxes of a dubious nature.

The pair stepped into the room and put their bags onto the bed.

“I’m gonna show Holly my room, be back in a bit.” Ronnie smiled; Ginny was still staring at Holly as they carried on upwards, Hamish and Heracles talking to her in an effort to break her reverie.

They entered another bedroom, and Holly was struck by two things. How very orange it was, posters of the Chudley Cannons plastered to nearly every wall. And by how much space Ronnie had to herself.

“Welcome to my bit,” Ronnie introduced. “It’s a bit small I suppose, but you get used to it....” She trailed off. “Holly?”

Holly stood, feet glued to the floor, eyes wide and brimming with tears.

“Holly, are you ok?” Ronnie asked tentatively.

And Holly burst into tears. Ronnie rushed over to her friend and crushed her in what she hoped was a soothing embrace.

“Holly? Holly what is it? What’s wrong?” she cried.

Sobs racked her small frame. She looked up from Ronnie’s chest to see her friend’s eyes wide with concern. “Oh Ronnie-it’s perfect. I’ve never had this much space to myself before.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Concern still flecked her voice.

“Y-yeah,” Holly wiped the tears from her face with her oversized green jumper; it was more like a dress. “I’m okay, w-we sh-should go down and see the others. You wanted to p-play Quidditch, right?”

)(

The crash of their trolleys echoed around the station. The girls sat behind them, shock plastered across their faces. The barrier wasn’t supposed to act like this! Several people had stopped to find the source of the commotion and were now staring at them.

“C’mon Ronnie, let’s go before they ask us what we were up to.” Holly winced as she sat up, picking up bits of parchment and owl pellets.

“But we’ll miss the train!” Ronnie cried as she too stood, massaging her thighs painfully.

“And the barrier’s just gonna start working again?” Holly said sarcastically. “Let’s get outside and think it out.”

The pair pushed their way out of the station to Mr Weasley’s Ford Anglia.

“What are we gonna do?” Groaned Ronnie, the train having presumably left without them.

“We could send an owl? I dunno Ronnie, we have to get to Hogwarts.” Holly muttered. “If only we could fly there.”

Ronnie gasped. “Holly, that’s right, we can.” Holly’s puzzled look prompted her to explain. “Dad’s car, he’s been experimenting with some spells on it.”

“I-I guess we don’t have much of a choice.”

“Then c’mon, let’s get into the car,” Ronnie said as she threw open the rear doors and began unloading her trolley onto the passenger seats. Holly followed suit, much to Hedwig’s distress.

They slammed the doors shut and Ronnie pressed the ominous red button next to the wheel.

“Here goes nothing,” she whispered, and with a start, the engine roared to life.

A blue button depicting a bird sat on the dashboard and Holly jabbed it before they crashed into the kerb. The car shot upwards, much to the amazement of the Muggle below.

“Close shave there! Now where’s the camouflage button?!” they both yelled in unison, realising how many people had probably seen them.

After a few seconds of panicked searching, Ronnie found a white button depicting a cloak of sorts. She punched it triumphantly.

With that, the Ford Anglia rose above King’s Cross and flew over central London.

Once the buildings and concrete were behind them, Holly and Ronnie began to think.

“We’re gonna have to find the Hogwarts Express now, I mean, we can head north,” Holly started.

“Avoiding cities and things or Muggles’ll spot us,” Ronnie nodded in acquiescence.

From their viewpoint, it wasn’t hard to discern the puffs of steam that signified the trail of the train.

“There!” Holly shouted. “Over Luton!”

“Where?!”

“Doesn’t matter, follow that smoke!”

The car dived after the puffs of the train, rattling Holly’s teeth as it did so.

After a time Ronnie decided to pull the car back into the cloud banks, the route was fairly straightforward. Holly rustled out a map to occasionally check.

“You know, maybe we should have sent an owl ahead,” Holly pondered aloud.

“Yeah, do you want to do that now?” Ronnie asked.

Stuffing the map back into the glove compartment, Holly grabbed a loose sheet of parchment and a biro. She scrawled a note to Heracles. Reaching behind her, Holly opened Hedwig’s cage. The owl stalked out, still grumpy at being thrown about.

“Sorry girl, you know I didn’t mean to,” Holly placated her, stroking under Hedwig’s beak. Hedwig stuck out her leg for Holly to tie the note to it. “Can you take this to Heracles or Hamish? There’ll be food when you get back.”

Hedwig almost seemed to roll her eyes before she hopped to the window which Holly duly opened, allowing a rush of cold air to slap her in the face. With a hoot Hedwig swooped out to deliver her message.

Holly wound the window shut. “C-cold.”

“You’re telling me,” Ronnie shivered.

“How far are we?”

In response, Ronnie ducked the car under the clouds. Rain was sheeting down over Carlisle.

The country had become increasingly wild as they journeyed north, and the railway harder to follow as a result. It hardly helped matters that the sun was sliding from the sky.

After a brief check, they returned above the clouds.

“Hey, I have some toffees in my bag I think,” Ronnie grinned. “Let’s have those to keep us going.”

Holly’s stomach agreed wholeheartedly, and soon toffee wrappers littered the car. But like all things, the fun began to wear off, and Holly’s mind drifted to the Hogwarts Express below, and the pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs and even Bertie Botts Every-Flavour Beans.

“Can’t be much further now?” Ronnie asked, yawning.

Holly shrugged. “Check, we’re probably not too far now.”

Again, Ronnie drove the car below the clouds, skimming the top of a mountain.

And below them, the black lake and surrounding glen opened up. On the far side, the towers and minarets of Hogwarts glittered with the light within. Holly smiled: home.

But as Ronnie put her foot on the accelerator, the engine coughed.

“It’s probably just tired, I don’t think it’s been this far before.”

Holly snorted, that was quite an understatement.

Then the engine coughed again, and Holly’s heart leapt as the car dropped ten feet. Ronnie yelped. For a time they pretended to ignore the growing whine and spluttering the car made, smoke beginning to putter from under the bonnet.

The closer they came, the more and more details of the school could be seen, the bridge, Hagrid’s hut and the Forbidden Forest.

Suddenly the engine gave out completely, and the pair screamed as the car continued to hurtle towards the grounds.

“We have to get out!” Holly yelled.

“I know!” Ronnie yelled back.

“Ronnie, that tree!”

“What?!”

Holly pointed at a particularly large tree that stood isolated in the grounds.

With far less warning than she would have liked, Holly found herself thrown forward onto the glove compartment as the car crashed into the tree.

She coughed, white spots dancing in front of her vision. The crash had winded her. Ronnie was in a similar position, hair matted and bloody from a weeping wound on her head.

Holly was just about to pick herself up when she saw a sight that made her heart stop. One of the tree’s branches was moving fast to smash into the car, and from the look on Ronnie’s face looking over her head, the same was occurring behind her.

)(

Holly slumped into her seat beside Hamish. Ronnie sat next to Heracles; both were tired after their adventure from the day before. Around them, pictures and paintings of a witch[I2]  grinned down at them.

“Did school always start this early?” she groaned.

“Sadly yes,” he smiled, eyes half-closed as he too, slowly woke up fully.

The class hubbub started and Holly’s head fell into her waiting arms, prompting Hamish to unpack her things for her. He nudged her gently when the door to the professor’s office opened and out stepped the last person Holly wanted to see in the morning.

Gillian Lockhart beamed at them all. “Good morning everyone. Allow me to introduce your new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.” She began walking down the steps, her velvet magenta robes swishing about her. “Me: Gillian Lockhart, Order of Merlin (Third Class),” She stroked the life-size portrait of herself painting herself, the painting smiled back. “Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League and Five Times Winner of Witch Weekly’s Best Dressed List,” she said with a flourish. Holly heard a distinctive sigh from Heracles and rolled her eyes.

“But I’m not here to talk about that, I didn’t get rid of the Bandon Banshee just by smiling at it.” This was followed by another sickening simper. “So before we begin, let’s have a little test, just to check that you’ve done a little summer reading.”

Heracles sat a little higher in his seat causing Ronnie to stifle a snort.

“Now whilst Mr?”

“Granger professor, Heracles Granger.”

“Whilst Mr Granger hands out the tests I will take the register.” She said, handing a stack of parchments to Heracles who set about handing two to each desk.

When Holly glanced at her paper at the first question and her heart sank.

“What is Gillian Lockhart’s favourite colour?”

This was going to be a long lesson, Holly thought to herself.

)(

The air grew warmer as the quartet left the dungeons behind after excusing themselves politely. Nicolas had not seemed too put out, deathday parties weren’t exactly exciting for the living. Or warm for that matter, Holly was still shivering from several ghosts passing through her.

“Maybe we should’ve declined the invitation?” Hamish suggested. “We could’ve at least had some dinner.”

Ronnie’s stomach grumbled in agreement.

Then Holly heard it. “ _Rip.......tear...kill...”_

Heracles tripped over Holly, who had stopped dead in her tracks. It was the same voice she had heard in her detention with Lockhart.

“Did anyone hear that?” She asked.

“What, Ronnie’s stomach? Hard not to.” Hamish snickered.

“No, that voice, it’s saying it wants to kill someone,” she rebutted the humour.

“That’s ok, I wanted to worry for your sanity Holly.”

“ _...hungry....blood...”_

The voice seemed to moving away, upwards. Holly pushed past Heracles. She hurtled up the stairs three at a time.

_“…kill....time to kill...”_

Fear and excitement grew in her stomach, what could it possibly be that could ignore walls and ceilings?

“C’mon!” she yelled to the others, who were struggling to keep up with her frightening pace. She skidded into the entrance hall. There was little point in going in now, most of the feast was now over.

So Holly continued past, leaping up the stairs again to the second floor.

“Holly-what are-” Heracles gasped.

“SSSHHH!”

Straining her ears, Holly heard the voice once more. “ _...blood...I smell blood....BLOOD!”_

“It’s going to kill someone!” she cried, dashing off, flying up a third marble staircase.

Holly practically tumbled to the floor when she arrived on the scene of the third floor corridor flooded from the girls’ toilet. It was deserted.

“So what was all that about, Holly?” Ronnie groaned as she bent over from a stitch in her side. “I didn’t hear anything.”

Look!” Heracles exclaimed.

Written in large, red, dripping letters, the words: THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS IS NOW OPEN. ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE! shimmered in the candlelight.

“What’s that below it?” Hamish asked. His voice quivered slightly.

On the wall was a brown furry object, hanging from a torch bracket. Holly walked up to it, ignoring the splashes she made. On closer inspection she realised the reason for Hamish’s fear. All four leapt back with a splash.

Mrs Norris hung, stiff as a board, her eyes wide in apparent terror.

Several seconds later, Ronnie suggested. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Shouldn’t we at least help?” said Holly reproachfully.

“Normally I’d say yes,” Hamish began, as Holly noticed the sounds of hundreds of feet heading in their direction. “But it already looks a wee bit suspicious.”

And before Holly knew it, those hundreds of feet had stopped in the corridor. Deathly silence hung heavy in the air as the crowd saw first the writing on the wall, then the frozen Mrs Norris and finally the stock-still quartet of second years.

“Enemies of the heir beware! You’ll be next Mudbloods!” Dracia Malfoy’s voice crowed, breaking the silence. Her usual pale face was flushed with glee as she sneered at the cat.

)(

Holly lay in her bed, snoring, when a voice opened her eyes.

“If we place him here for the time being.” Professor McGonagall’s voice was hushed, but the fear was evident. Holly opened her eyes slowly; peering to see Professor McGonagall, Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey huddled over a bed.

“Where did you find him, Albus?” Madame Pomfrey asked.

“Just outside of your infirmary as a matter of fact Poppy. It appears he was attempting to gain entry to presumably visit Miss Potter.”

“Another fan,” Professor McGonagall sighed, matching Holly’s view of those who wanted to be _friends._

“Let us see what pictures he last took.” Holly gasped softly. A click was quickly followed by a whump and a plume of smoke blew out of the opened camera. “Ah.”

“It melted his camera, what could have done this?!” McGonagall uttered softly.

“Dear lord, Albus,” Madame Pomfrey whispered. “Do you really think that...”

“Yes Poppy, it means that the Chamber of Secrets has been opened again.” It seemed that as he said that, Dumbledore had looked at Holly, prompting her to scrunch her eyes shut.

“Then we will have to take steps to ensure that panic does not spread.” Professor McGonagall advised.

Dumbledore nodded. “Indeed, Minerva, I will leave you to see that his classmates are informed. I will inform the other teachers of this. Poppy, might I advise you get some rest, there will be children desperate to see the damage themselves in the morning.”

“Of course.” Madame Pomfrey bustled back to her office, leaving Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore to finish their preparations.

“Albus, if word gets out-what if next time the victim is killed? The school could be closed.” Holly’s eyes sprang open at that point.

“That may very well occur. Let us hope with new measures in place this won’t happen. Professor Sprout already has a batch of mandrakes growing, by May they will be ripe[I3] .”

The pair left silently, revealing to Holly the person they had been discussing. Colin Creevey, the first-year who had been dogging her for the best part of three weeks, lay petrified on his bed.

For a few moments Holly stared at his stiff fingers, wide eyes and hunched shoulders before turning away.

Trying to forget about the boy lying several beds away, Holly had just gotten to sleep when she awoke again. Her arm felt strange, Holly could feel bone pieces jostling slowly for position. The sensation made her queasy.

She was about to turn to vomit into the bucket beside her bed when she noticed the little creature stood at the foot of her bed, glass orb eyes observing her.

“Dobby?” she whispered incredulously. “What are you doing here?”

“Holly Potter must not stay at Hogwarts, she should be at home, safe.”

“You’ve said so before. Hogwarts is my home, Dobby.”

He leapt up onto the bed. “Terrible things are about to happen again. Holly Potter is in grave danger. Dobby thought that missing the train would have convinced her but Holly Potter is determined to get into danger.”

“Wait a minute, you were the one who locked the barrier?” Holly slumped back into her pillow.

“Yes, this should have been enough. Dobby even had to burn his fingers for being so far from home.” Holly caught a glimpse of roughly bandaged hands behind his back.

“Dobby, why am I in danger? Can you explain that without hurting yourself?” she asked tentatively. Dobby shook his head, bat-like ears flopping in his face. “Great, now I have to wait for my arm to grow back then, without answers.”

Guilt flashed across his face.

“Dobby you didn’t...” But Holly thought she already knew the answer.

“Dobby never meant to kill, only to injure....or seriously maim,” he said sheepishly.

Holly lunged at him, intent on showing him her opinion of his “life-saving techniques”. But before her finger could even brush his neck, Dobby had clicked his fingers and vanished with a prompt crack.

Holly sighed, and settled down for an uneasy sleep punctuated by prickling pains as her bones arranged themselves neatly in her arm.

)(

“Can you all hear me? Can you all see me?” Gillian Lockhart beamed as she swished onto the stage in an azure dress.

Holly couldn’t help but groan from her position directly in front of the stage, particularly as some of the fourth-year girls pushed from the back to get closer. She and her friends had thought, wrongly, that a competent instructor would be coming to teach them defensive magic. Instead they were landed with Lockhart.

Hamish muttered something about “Here we go...”. Holly smirked in agreement. So long as she didn’t pick her out, she could bear an hour in her presence.

“Now, Professor Dumbledore has allowed me to arrange this meeting to let me train you all up to defend yourselves, as I myself have done on numerous occasions, full details in my published works. And with all this “heir of Slytherin” nonsense that’s been going around we thought it might be a good idea to start now,” she explained. “To help me demonstrate a few things Professor Snape has kindly volunteered to be my assistant.” Snape stepped up onto the stage having removed his usual billowing cloak and stood, scowling at Lockhart, who seemed completely unaware of the looks she was receiving. She cast off her lime green shawl into the audience. A gaggle of girls caught it and began gossiping excitedly.

“Maybe they can both off each other,” Ronnie whispered. Holly and Hamish snorted, Heracles gasped quietly.

“But don’t worry,” Lockhart was saying. “You’ll still have your potions master when I’m through with him.” Half of the hall laughed politely at the jest, the others were a mixture of those disdainful of Lockhart’s skills, many who had had a class with him, and those who feared Snape enough to know not to.

“Now, to business. Professor, if you will.”

Snape walked to the centre of the stage to stand in front of Lockhart. Lockhart gave a flourishing bow, Snape, a short, stiff one.

Lockhart stood in profile to her opponent, one arm clasped behind her back, her wand lazily pointed at Snape.

“On the count of three, both us shall cast our spells to defeat our foe,” Lockhart said, smiling. “One....two....three.” Lockhart opened her mouth but Snape came in faster.

“ _Expelliarmus!”_

Lockhart’s wand shot from her hand and the woman stumbled backwards. Laughing, she recovered her lazy smile and went to retrieve her wand. Snape smirked.

“An excellent demonstration, Professor, of the Disarming Charm. Easy to block of course had I wanted to, but a great spell for the students to know.”

“Perhaps it might be useful to teach the students how to block incoming spells,” Snape sneered.

A moment of silence followed the suggestion before Lockhart stuttered into speech again. “O-of course, splendid idea professor. Might I have a volunteer pair to demonstrate? Potter, Weasley?”

“Weasley’s wand currently causes more destruction than her elder brothers combined. You’ll be sending Potter home in a matchbox,” Snape intervened. “Perhaps one from my own house, Malfoy?”

Lockhart smiled, and Holly slowly climbed the steps up onto the stage. Malfoy smirked from the other end at her.

“Malfoy,” she called. “You will be casting the same charm as Snape demonstrated earlier.” She then took Holly to the side. “Now Holly, when Malfoy casts his spell, I want you to do this.” Lockhart initiated a series of complex manoeuvres that resulted in her dropping her wand again.

“You want me to do what?” Holly asked, at a loss as to the strange instruction. But Lockhart pretended not to hear her and pushed Holly to stand in front of Malfoy.  

“Wands at the ready, and remember, on the count of three you will cast your spells to disarm only, no accidents here.”

Holly reluctantly bowed with Malfoy.

“Scared, Potter?” Malfoy taunted.

“As if,” Holly replied.

“One....two.....three.”

_“Everte stadium!”_ Malfoy cried, and Holly was blasted backwards to land painfully a few feet from where she had started.

“Disarm only!” Lockhart’s voice sounded anxiously.

Holly ignored the laughter from the Slytherins and clambered back to her feet.

_“Rictusempra!”_ Malfoy spun through the air and lay winded, gasping for breath.

Scrambling to her feet, Malfoy furiously straightened her uniform.

_“Serpensortia!”_ This time a smoky black viper shot out from the tip of her wand. Holly stopped dead, this seemed to be a little more than mere disarmament.

The rest of the hall screamed.

“Don’t worry Potter, I’ll banish it,” Lockhart said confidently as she strode over. “Aserte alescenderay!” With a flick of her wand the snake was launched into the air, hissing and spitting, only to land inches from the audience who had backed away.

It turned its head to one boy, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and began snaking its way to him.

“No, stop!” Holly cried, her attention focused on the snake. It looked at her curiously. “Leave him alone!”

The snake instead chose to slither towards her, prompting her to take a few nervous steps backwards.

_“Ipera evanesce!”_ The snake vanished into a small pile of dust.

Holly looked up from her trance. Snape was stood eyeing her with what appeared to be suspicion and more than a bit of fear. Holly threw her eyes elsewhere. The entire hall had similar expressions on their faces.

“What the hell are you playing at?!” Justin yelled before he stormed out, closely tailed by his Hufflepuff friends.

)(

For the best part of the autumn term, Heracles had been brewing the polyjuice potion in Moaning Martin’s toilets. In spite of the effort that had gone into making it, Holly couldn’t help but gag at the smell.

“Oh god, why does it stink?” Ronnie echoed her thoughts. Hamish had covered his nose with his hand when Heracles had removed the cauldron lid.

“This is a good thing surprisingly, Ronnie,” Heracles admonished her, ladling out four glasses for them. “Now have you all got your hairs?”

Holly pulled out one of Pansy Parkinson’s hairs from her pocket, fingering it with distaste.

“I still don’t get why I have to be Bulstrode?” Ronnie complained.

“It’s only for an hour Ronnie, we just need to ask Malfoy a few questions, then we’ll be off,” Hamish answered.

Ronnie grunted.

“If that’s everything I think we might as well get started,” Heracles interrupted. He passed out the glasses. “Just place your hair in the glass.”

Holly plopped Pansy’s hair into her drink. It frothed violently, much to her surprise, before settling into a murky colour reminiscent of compost. Ronnie’s was a sickly white sludge whilst Hamish held a glass of what looked like mud.

Heracles looked particularly displeased by his own portion. “Well, it does say in the book that the potion should reflect the person you intend to turn into.” He didn’t sound convinced. “Bottoms up?”

Holly pressed her glass to her lips and let the compost-like liquid move past them into her throat.

Hamish chanted a little mantra “Past the teeth, hello gums, lookout stomach here it comes,” before draining his own.

Holly grimaced at the aftertaste. Then her stomach tried to claw its way out of her throat; she almost gagged as pins and needles shot into her body. Doubling up in pain Holly scrambled back into one of the cubicles accompanied by the sounds of her friends doing the same.

Inside, Holly felt herself grow by a few inches to match Pansy’s height. All across her body Holly could feel parts of her growing to the same proportions as Pansy. Her normally red hair darkened to a dull brown and straightened into a simple bob cut. Holly’s chest also felt strange, but she put that down to Pansy having a fuller diet.

Several agonising moments later, Holly slipped off her Gryffindor tie, jumper and cloak and replaced them with their Slytherin counterparts.

“Guys?” She clasped her throat on hearing Pansy’s voice come out.

“I’m good,” Goyle’s voice floated over from Hamish’s cubicle. “Damn this guy is fat!”

“Still here,” Ronnie said in Millicent Bulstrode’s voice.

Holly stepped out of her cubicle in Pansy’s skin. She nearly jumped when she saw herself in the mirror.

Hamish walked up beside her. “Yeah, we’re ugly. But hey, it’s only for a wee bit,” he said jokingly.

Ronnie huffed when she emerged.

“Where’s Heracles?” she asked when the fourth member of their party failed to appear.

“Heracles?” Ronnie knocked on his cubicle door. “We gotta go.”

“You…er…you guys go on without me, something’s come up,” his voice stuttered.

“Heracles are you alright?” Holly inquired, his voice had sounded strange.

“We don’t have time for this. I’ll be fine, just go!”

Hamish grunted. “C’mon, we’ll come back later for you.”

The trio trooped out of the toilets.

“Right, does anyone know the way to the Slytherin common room?” Ronnie asked.

“No. But then again I reckon Goyle only just manages to find his way anywhere,” Hamish replied jokingly.

“Either way it’ll be down round the dungeons,” Holly said as she led them towards the hall and the stairs the Slytherins took to their common room.

Holly was reaching uncertainty as to her leading when she heard a familiar drawl.

“Pansy, where’ve you been?” Dracia Malfoy called to her.

“Millicent and I had to get Goyle before he ate all the cakes,” she replied somewhat surprised by how easily Malfoy had been fooled. She nudged Ronnie into agreement.

“Greg, how many times have you scoffed your face now?” She cut off Hamish before he could answer. “Doesn’t matter, I have to tell you guys something.”

She led them towards the common room, a piece of sculpted wall showing writhing serpents.

“Pureblood.” And the wall slid to the side to reveal the common room. They followed Malfoy to one of the many black leather sofas beside their respective fires. Above them the ceiling had been rendered transparent to show great fronds of seaweed.

Must be the Black Lake, Holly thought to herself.  They sat across from Malfoy, who called Crabbe from where he was sitting enjoying a platter of pastries. Hamish sat beside Malfoy, taking the place of her actual bodyguard.

“I ran into that Weasel, Percy? What an idiot, you’d never think the Weasleys were pureblood, the way they behave.” Ronnie’s knuckles whitened on her knee and she sat stiffly. “Blood traitors the lot of them.”

Holly nudged her before she gave them away.

“Don’t you think it’s strange the Prophet hasn’t reported on these attacks?” she asked Hamish who shrugged.

“Maybe Dumbledore’s covering it up,” Holly suggested.

“Since when do you read the Prophet Parkinson? I normally see you reading Witch Weekly,” Malfoy enquired with apparent suspicion. Holly felt a bead of sweat trickle down her forehead.

“I-I don’t, but it’s what he’d do,” she defended.

Malfoy smirked. “Of course he would. Father says Dumbledore’s the worst thing that ever happened to Hogwarts.” Hamish’s eyes narrowed slightly. “And personally I’m inclined to agree.”

“That’s a lie!” Holly interrupted.

“Why’s that?” Malfoy asked slyly.

“Holly Potter’s much worse, her and her gang,” she replied quickly to cover her mistake.

“You know for once you’re right. Perfect Potter and her ponces,” Malfoy spat. “And they think she’s the Heir of Slytherin.”

“Well who do you think it might be?” Hamish asked dully.

“I dunno Goyle, I said yesterday that I’d help them if I knew who,” she said scathingly, reaching to grab a box of chocolate frogs. “These anyone’s?” They all shook their heads, prompting her to unpack one and pop the frog into her mouth.

“But Father did tell me that the Chamber’s already been opened, 50 years ago. The person behind it got expelled, but the last it was open, a Mudblood died.” Malfoy seemed happy at the thought, Holly just couldn’t seem to shake the feeling of her legs shrinking. The potion was beginning to wear off. “As for me, I’m hoping Granger gets it!”

At that Ronnie stood up rapidly.

“You alright Millicent?” Malfoy gave a curious glance.

“Er Professor Snape wanted to see us about something.” Holly said in a burst of inspiration. “Goyle, you should come too.” She could see Hamish’s hair growing from Goyle’s shaved head. By the look he had on his face, Holly’s scar had reappeared.

They scrambled past the fires and leather futons towards the exit.

“Hey, where are you going?!” Malfoy’s voice cried from behind them.

)(

_My name is Holly Potter._ Holly wrote on a blank page in the journal. She had found it lying in the flooded boys’ toilets after Martin had had a tantrum. After it had dried and she had managed to remove the red ink spilt all over her bag and other bags from Ginny’s love poem-delivering dwarf, Holly found that the entire thing was blank. Except for where she hadjust written-only  her writing had just sunk into the paper. Holly turned several pages to find the ink but to no avail.

And then: _Hello Holly, I am Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?_

_I found it in the abandoned boys’ toilet_. She scribbled back, the diary was talking, if that was a word for it, back!

_Moaning Martin’s? I know the place, I was a pupil at Hogwarts before._

_Really?_

_Yes, about 50 years ago. I left this diary to help those who came after me._

_Then you must know something about the Chamber of Secrets._

_No._ Holly’s shoulders sank. _But I can show you..._

With that a small image in the last O. Holly peered at it but couldn’t make anything out. Lifting up the diary, she placed the image up before her eye and tried again.

Small indistinct shapes flitted before it. She tilted forwards. The window widened.

Suddenly Holly felt her feet leaving the floor. She cried out as the feeling of something tugging her navel forced her into the diary.

As quickly as it had started, Holly found her feet resting on solid ground again. On the second floor, staring at the boys’ toilet she had found Tom’s diary.

“I shouldn’t have thought to see you here at this hour, Tom.” Holly whipped around to see Professor Dumbledore standing at the top of the staircase. She gaped, she was out of the common room, it was well past curfew and-Professor Dumbledore looked peculiar. It might have been the light but Holly swore his hair still had a brown colour to it, and his beard was only half as long as it normally was.

“Yes Professor.” A tall handsome boy walked up from behind Holly. She jumped, how had she not noticed him? “I came to see if the rumours were true.”

“I’m afraid they are Tom.” At that moment four wizards in long official robes came out of the bathroom carrying a stretcher. A limp hand fell from under the white blanket and hung lazily as they passed.

“And about Hogwarts too, they can’t shut the school, I won’t have a home to go back to.” His voice sounded slightly desperate.

“I’m sorry Tom, but if these attacks continue Professor Dippet may have no choice.” Then Holly realised, this wasn’t happening now, she was viewing a memory, Tom’s memory.

“But if the perpetrator were to be caught-” He stopped, Dumbledore was giving Tom a curious gaze.

“Is there something you wish to tell me, Tom?” he asked.

“No sir. I should get back to my dormitory. Good night Professor.”

“Very well Tom, off you go.”

Tom strode down the stairs and the corridor, Holly jogging to keep up. But on reaching the junction that lead to the Slytherin common room, he stopped.

Glancing behind him, he checked to see if anyone was following him. Holly did the same, there was no one. She turned and ran after him. He took a right, then a left, then a right again.

Tom stopped outside a cupboard, Holly coming up short behind him. She peered around him. Holly heard a voice whispering to someone from the other side.

Decisively, Tom whipped out his wand and opened the door.

“Good evening Rubeus.”

A large boy turned from where he had been putting something into a chest. “T-Tom, w-what are you doing here?” he asked.

“I’m sorry Hagrid, I’ve got to turn you in. I know you didn’t mean it to harm anyone, but the dead boy’s parents are coming to school tomorrow. The least they deserve is some closure. It needs to be put down.”

“But it weren’t him! Aragog would never do that!” Rubeus argued.

“Monsters aren’t good pets, Hagrid.” Holly gasped, this was Hagrid fifty years ago. “Stand aside.”

“No!”

“Hagrid, stand aside!”

“No!”

With that Tom flicked his wand to open the chest.

A black hairy leg waved from the lip. Tom cast his spell, but only shattered the chest.

Holly caught sight of a large hairy body, eight legs pedalling wildly to get out and four glistening eyes. It bowled over Tom and Holly nearly screamed when it skittered past her.

“Aragog no!” Hagrid yelled. He punched Tom squarely in the jaw and dashed after the beast.

Holly was about to chase after him when she felt the familiar sensation of her feet leaving the floor, her body tipping backwards.

She yelled. “Hagrid!”

And Holly found herself back in her chair in the common room, breathing heavily. The fire had gone out.

)(

Holly didn’t even have time to turn around. There was a loud clicking noise and four long hairy things took hold of her so that she hung face down, blood rushing to her face. Struggling, terrified, she heard more clicking and saw Ronnie’s legs leave the ground. Fang whimpered as the pair of them were carried off into the deeper forest.

From what she could see hanging upside down, her kidnapper marched on six, very long, hairy legs. Holly herself was clutched by a final pair close to shiny black pincers.

She wasn’t sure how long she was in the creature’s clutches, but Holly noticed there was now a large gap in the trees. Large enough in fact for the moonlight to light the most horrifying scene she had ever witnessed to date. The ground was covered in spiders, and not just regular ones. Spiders the size of cart-horses, black-eyed, hairy, massive.

Her own gigantic specimen carried her down a slope criss-crossed by thick strands of web. In the centre of the clearing sat a pearly dome made of the same material.

Dropped from the spider’s clutches, Holly fell to all fours. Beside her, two thuds signalled Ronnie and Fang’s landing. Ronnie looked like Holly felt, eyes popping, mouth stretched wide in a long, silent scream.

Holly realised that the spider above her was speaking. It was hard to discern with all the clicking but he was calling to something.

“Aragog. Aragog!”

“What is it?” A voice answered from the dome. And without any further fanfare a spider the size of an elephant emerged. It moved slowly and Holly could see that the hairs on its body were grey, and its eyes milky white. This one was blind.

“Humans.”

“Kill them, they woke me up.”

Holly swallowed her heart back from where it was sitting in her throat to shout “We’re friends of Hagrid!”

The clearing erupted into a cacophony of clicking.

“Hagrid has never sent men into our home before.” Aragog clicked.

“He’s in trouble, that’s why he sent us!” She was interrupted by another bout of clicking. “They think he’s been setting a monster on pupils at the school. They’ve taken him to Azkaban.”

“But that was years ago. It was why they made him leave the school. They thought _I_ was the monster that lived in what they called the Chamber of Secrets.”

“But you didn’t, did you?” she asked fearfully.

“No!” Aragog clicked furiously. “I was born in a far away land, carried as an egg by a traveller until he gave me to Hagrid. He hatched me, cared for me. He is a good man, a good friend. He protected when they accused me of the death of the boy. But the boy died in the toilets, far from where I was kept. He even found my wife Mosag, and see how our family has grown thanks to his goodness.”

“But then, do you know what attacked the boy?” she asked.

“The thing that lives in the castle,” Aragog said over the sound of clicking and many shifting legs. “is an ancient beast we spiders fear above all others. When I sensed it moving in the castle I begged Hagrid get me out.”

Holly didn’t want to press the subject, even as she noticed Aragog appeared to be retreating back to his dome. She was made aware of the spiders moving closer to them by Ronnie’s sharp elbow.

“I guess we’ll be leaving then...”

“Leave? I think not. My children never harm Hagrid, but I cannot deny them fresh meat after it wanders so willingly into our home. Goodbye, friends of Hagrid.”

Even as Holly turned around to meet the mass of shiny black eyes and vicious pincers, she knew it was no good. She couldn’t possibly hope to overpower them all. But, true Gryffindor as she was, Holly prepared to go down fighting. Whether or not Ronnie felt the same, she could hardly say.

Just as these thoughts were going through her head, Holly was cut short by the blare of a horn. Mr Weasley’s battered Ford Anglia sped into the hollow, knocking spiders to the side. Its doors flew open, and Holly took the cue to grab Ronnie’s arm and dive into the car.

Once inside, the doors slammed shut, and the car reversed the way it had come. Holly liked to think that the bumps were unfortunate spiders caught in its path. It sped through gaps in the tree, obviously following a path it knew well.

As they thumped through undergrowth, Holly asked Ronnie “Are you okay?”

Ronnie gave her a fear-filled glance.

The car stopped suddenly, they had cleared the forest. Fang jumped from the rear window and skittered into Hagrid’s cabin. As if they had enjoyed its hospitality long enough, the car’s front seat ejected roughly onto the ground. Then it roared back into the forest.

“Follow the spiders!” Ronnie moaned, having regained the power of speech. “Why couldn’t it be follow the bloody flobberworms?!!! I’ll never forgive him!”

“Hagrid probably thought Aragog would be nice to his friends,” Holly reasoned, though she could easily see Ronnie’s point of view.

“That’s his problem, Hagrid doesn’t get that his idea of cute and fluffy is actually terrifying and landed him in Azkaban for Merlin’s sake!”

“Well at least we know that Aragog was and is innocent.”

Ronnie snorted, evidently her idea of innocence didn’t involve giant spiders letting their children eat you, and Holly agreed.

“Hang on!” Another brainwave hit Holly. “That boy Aragog mentioned that the boy died in the toilets. What if he never left? What if the boy is-”

“Moaning Martin?” Ronnie finished.

)(

Holly walked forwards, wand drawn, ready to clamp her eyes shut at the merest hint of movement. Each footstep echoed loudly across the chamber, so much so Holly winced each time. The large busts of snakes seemed to follow her. She tried, with some difficulty, to control her jumping whenever she thought one moved.

Craning her neck, Holly saw the head of a giant statue of a man with a face ancient and monkey-like. Salazar Slytherin gazed down from his lofty height.

At his feet Holly spotted the characteristic orange hair of the Weasleys. Ginny lay in a black-robed heap.

Sprinting to her side Holly cried “Ginny! Wake up! Wake up, Ginny!” She tossed her wand to the side and grabbed Ginny’s shoulders, turning her head to face her. Ginny’s face was as pale as marble, and equally cold. But she wasn’t petrified, which meant... “Don’t be dead Ginny, please!” Her head lolled uselessly.

“She won’t wake.” A voice interrupted Holly. Standing not five feet away was a tall, black-haired boy, slightly fuzzy around the edges.

“Tom Riddle?!”

He nodded, not taking his eyes off Holly’s face. “She’s alive, but only just.”

“Are you a ghost?”

“A memory, trapped in the diary for fifty years.” Holly glanced past his feet and spotted his little black diary lying on the floor. She briefly wondered what it was doing here - had Ginny taken it with her? But there were more pressing concerns.

“Tom, you have to help me,” she explained. “There’s a basilisk-”

“It won’t come ‘til it’s called, don’t worry,” Tom cut her off.

Holly looked up to see him twirling her wand between his fingers. She stood and offered her hand.

“Thanks for picking it up,” she said gratefully.

“Oh you won’t be needing this,” he said, continuing to twirl it. “In fact, I can’t let you leave.”

Holly was taken aback. “I’m sorry?”

“I’ve waited a long time for this, Holly Potter. I need to speak to you.”

“Which part of: ‘we’re in the Chamber of Secrets and a basilisk could be coming at any moment let’s talk later’ do you not understand?!” she hissed in exasperation.

“We’re going to talk now.” He smiled broadly, pocketing her wand.

Something very strange indeed was going on, Holly thought.

“You see the reason Ginny is like this, is because she opened her heart to an invisible stranger.”

“You!” Holly grasped quickly.

“She told me everything about her life, all her pitiful woes and worries. As boring as it was, listening to an eleven-year old _girl_ , I was patient, listened, wrote back. _It’s like having a friend in my pocket_.” He imitated her voice.

“I fed off those fears, until I could give back, tell Ginny how to open the Chamber.” Holly blanched. Tom smirked. “Yes, she opened the Chamber, killed the roosters, set my basilisk on the Mudbloods. All through my guidance; I can be very persuasive.”

“Eventually Ginny stopped trusting me with those thoughts of her spiralling madness. She threw me away.” Holly’s fists were clenched. “But who should find it but you; someone I had very much wished to speak to. So, to gain your trust, I showed you my capture of the brainless oaf Hagrid.”

“Hagrid’s my friend!” Holly cried. “And you framed him.”

“Not hard to be honest, it was the word of prefect and model student Tom Riddle against his. Only Dumbledore seemed to think him innocent,” Riddle said bitterly. “And he kept an annoyingly close watch on me afterwards. So I imparted my memories in my diary, for future generations to continue Salazar Slytherin’s noble work!”

“Not if the mature Mandrakes have anything to say about it. The draught will soon be ready, and the people are gonna wake up.”

He smirked. “I should have said. I’m not interested in killing Mudbloods anymore. For months now my new target has been you,” he continued. “How is it that an infant, a girl no less, defeated the greatest sorcerer to have ever lived?!”

“I don’t recall defeating Dumbledore,” Holly replied angrily.

“He’s been driven out of this school by the mere memory of me!” Tom seethed. There was an odd red gleam to his eyes now.

“Why do you care anyway?” Holly asked. “Voldemort was after your time.”

He chuckled. “Voldemort is my past, present and future.” With that Tom whipped out Holly's wand, tracing his name in shimmering letters:

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

Swishing her wand to the right, the words changed, the letters rearranging themselves:

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

“It was a name I was already using at school, among intimate friends of course. You’d think I would keep using the filthy Muggle name of my father?!” Tom froze. The melodious sound of music was echoing into the Chamber.

Holly’s heart swelled, the hairs on her arms standing on end. A crimson bird burst into existence atop one of the snake heads. It flew towards the pair, swooping and diving, leaving a trail of flames in its wake.

Passing over Holly it dropped a brown lump into her arms. Holly untangled it to find herself staring at the Sorting Hat.

Tom laughed a cold, high-pitched sound. “So this is what Dumbledore sends his champion, a songbird and an old hat.” His laughter filled the Chamber until it seemed there were ten other Riddles laughing with him. “Do you feel brave, Holly Potter? Feel safe?”

Holly didn’t open her mouth, she couldn’t see how Fawkes and the Sorting Hat would be much use in a duel. But at least she wasn’t alone, and Holly could feel her courage mounting.

“Let’s pit the powers of Lord Voldemort, heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Holly Potter, and any weapons Dumbledore cares to send her.”

Tom marched up to the statue behind them and lifted his arms in supplication.

“ _Speak to me Salazar, greatest of the Hogwarts Four!”_

And Salazar responded. The statue’s mouth slowly opened, revealing a gaping black hole. And inside, Holly could hear something stirring, a great beast waking up. She stumbled backwards, tripped on a flagstone and fell into a puddle.

Water began to soak through her skirt when Holly glimpsed a large shape falling from the statue’s mouth. She snapped her eyes shut as she heard a distinctive _whumplash._

Then she heard Riddle’s voice: “ _Kill her!”_

_Bugger, how am I supposed to kill a basilisk with my eyes shut?!_

)(

“First of all, I want to thank you, not many would have shown me loyalty. That is what called Fawkes to you.” Professor Dumbledore stroked Fawkes’ feathers.

Holly relaxed visibly in her chair.

“Yes, and I gather you must have met Tom Riddle. I imagine he was most interested in meeting you.”

“Professor?” A nagging thought came to the fore. “He said he was a memory, from his diary. I was wondering what he meant by that.”

Professor Dumbledore sighed. “I suppose a memory is one way of telling it.” He lifted the diary from his desk, peering at her through the hole from the basilisk fang. “Although I would say it is probably more than just a memory. The magic, and theory, I fear, is a little dark for right now.” Holly was about to protest when he raised his hand. “However I will tell you more at a later time, after I have had time to ponder this. For now though, I wish to inform you of possible arrangements for this summer.”

Holly perked at the idea of spending another summer like her last.

“The main issue is that bureaucracy has finally arrived at the case of your abuse at the hands of the Dursleys. You will be required to give some sort of testimony for magistrates.”

“I don’t want to be in the sa-same r-room as th-them!” Holly cried.

“I understand, Holly,” he reassured her. “But from what I can gather, being unversed in Muggle legislature, you would not need to see your relatives.”

“O-ok, thank you sir.”

“I assume aside that you wish to spend your summer with your friends?”

“Yes sir,” Holly nodded fondly. “I know Hamish talked about taking us camping somewhere.” Holly struggled to remember it for a moment before submitting it to the stress of the past day.

“The Hebrides I would assume, knowing his father,” Professor Dumbledore smiled.

However further conversation was cut short by the door to Professor Dumbledore’s office banging open, revealing Lucius Malfoy, fury written plainly across his features.

“Good evening, Lucius,” Dumbledore smiled genially.

“ _So_ ,” Mr Malfoy almost snarled, sweeping into the room, followed by a heavily bandaged Dobby. “It’s true, you’re back.”

“I am,” Dumbledore replied levelly. “You see, I was contacted by the other eleven governors today, somewhat like being caught in a storm of owls to be quite honest. They told me they’d heard Arthur Weasley’s youngest had been killed and wanted me back here at once, seemed to think I was the best person for the job.

“The strangest thing was that they seemed to recall you threatening to curse their families if they didn’t agree to suspend them in the first place.”

A flicker crossed Mr Malfoy’s face. “How peculiar. But I trust you have stopped the attacks? And caught the culprit?”

“Indeed.” A smile met the request.

“Well? Who is it?” Mr Malfoy asked sharply.

“Lord Voldemort, though this time he chose to do it through another in the form of this diary.” Dumbledore held up the offending article.

While they spoke Holly noticed Dobby kept giving her a glance then a series of nods towards Mr Malfoy and the diary.

“Thankfully for poor Ginny, she need not take the blame for the attacks. If Holly Potter here,” Mr Malfoy glanced at her sharply. “and her friends, Ronnie and Hamish, hadn’t found the diary then I should think Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act would have been dealt a fatal blow.”

“Well, let us hope that Miss Potter is always around to save the day,” Mr Malfoy said quietly.

“I’m just curious as to Ginny got the diary,” Holly smirked, having deciphered Dobby’s hint, heavy as they were.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You gave it to Ginny! Slipped it among her books!” Holly accused.

“Prove it!” he snarled.

Dumbledore, who watched the exchange intervened. “Oh, no one can do that now Lucius. Not since Voldemort’s disappearance from these pages. But I would warn you not to go giving away items from Tom’s past. I should think that if more were to find their way into innocent hands, Arthur Weasley, for one, would be more than willing to trace it back to you.”

“Come Dobby, we’re leaving.” Though Holly could’ve sworn she saw his hand twitch. Mr Malfoy kicked Dobby towards the door.

As it slammed shut, a bright idea poked Holly in the proverbial shin.

“Professor,” she asked. “Can I take that?” She undid her laces and slipped off her shoe.

“Yes, socks do tend to work well.” His eyes sparkled. “Of course my girl, be quick if you wish to catch him.”

“Thank you sir.” She placed her sock behind the cover.

“And Holly,” she stopped mid-stride. “I shall send you an owl before the testimony.”

Dashing out of the classroom, Holly Potter prepared to do one last act of good before the evening feast where she would see Heracles, Hamish and Ronnie to plan the best summer yet.

Albus Dumbledore was startled by the post owl as it dropped off his copy of Le Monde Magique. Placing a bronze knut in it's pouch, Dumbledore glanced at the headline: a story about the disappearances of several high-ranking Muggles in  the Chinese government. Placing it o the side, Albus couldn't help but wonder if the disappearances and Tom's diary were connected. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to post this, as I've said before I've been incredibly busy. I wanted to send this one off before I'm bogged down with coursework, deadlines and other things from life.
> 
> Taking this into account, it will probably be a while before I have the opportunity to post for a while. 
> 
> Thanks for taking the time to read this :) any kudos or feedback is greatly appreciated.


	5. The Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An extract of Holly's summer holidays with friends. Holly makes an important statement, Hamish bends the Statute of Secrecy and Holly makes an impressive save. And all in time for tea.

**The summer**

“Stupid stupid stupid.”Holly muttered to herself, smoothing the grey dress.

“Alright Holly?” Ronnie asked as she popped her head through the door.

“Y-yeah I’m good.” she replied, quickly bringing her hands to her side. She felt ridiculous in the dress, like a child telling the teacher that “Benny” was bullying her.

“Ok, breakfast is gonna be ready in a few minutes, Hamish’s mum says.”

“Thanks Ronnie” Holly smiled. “I’ll be down in a bit.”

She, Heracles and Ronnie were staying with Hamish and his family for the second third of the summer. Holly had been amazed that they would be willing to invite a girl they only knew from letters into their home for a few weeks.

Holly opened the door Ronnie had left ajar and climbed down the stairs, the smells of bacon, egg and sausages hard to resist.

Hamish’s mother, Gwen, smiled as Holly took a seat beside Heracles halfway through his own meal.

“There you are, I was going to check on you. I thought you’d appreciate it if Ronnie did that instead.”

“Thanks Mrs Williams,” Holly smiled weakly.

“Not to worry cariad, a friend of Hamish is another child to me.” Holly looked across to where Ronnie was wolfing down her scrambled eggs. “And please, call me Gwen.”

“Ok Mr-Gwen.”

“Oh Hamish.” Gwen glanced at the large pot on the stove. “Your porridge is ready”

Hamish scraped his chair, muttered an apology and walked over to the pot.

“Hamish didn’t you just have a fry-up?” Heracles asked in amusement as Hamish lifted a ladle of the substance into the air.

“Yeah......and?” he grinned after ladling himself a bowl.

“Who cares,” Ronnie said through a mouthful of eggs. “I’m getting some.”

Gwen laughed. “Hamish did mention something about your liking food.”

Ronnie’s ear tips reddened.

“Holly, are you alright?” Heracles asked. She had been stirring her beans around her plate for the past few minutes. “You haven’t said much.”

“You worried about the testimony later?” Ronnie asked.

“Don’t worry cariad, it’ll be fine.” Gwen said, embracing Holly tightly.

“We’ll be-oh wait, they won’t let us in-” Hamish started. “I guess we’ll just be listening by the door.”

“Yeah, we’ll teach them a lesson if they try and pull a fast one.” Ronnie interjected helpfully.

Holly smiled as they all piled in for a group hug, Hamish’s father in at the last minute.

“You all set Holleh?” He said.

“Almost.” Holly answered.

“Aye well don’t worry yerself, we’ve got a wee bit of time before your needed, plenty enough to finish yer breakfast.” He said, pushing Gwen to her seat. “Mine turn cooking now gràidhean.”

The pair giggled, prompting Ronnie to gag before Heracles glared at her reprovingly.

For a moment Holly felt robbed, as if she was missing something.

They’d be doing the same thing, if they’d lived, she thought quietly as she speared a hash brown.

Holly hadn’t realised how hard she’d done so, as she blushed when Hamish stared at her with concern. She carried on more slowly.

“You ready Holleh?” Hamish’s father asked after ten minutes.

“Yeah, thanks for the fry-up Mrs-Gwen.” Holly got up from the table. “Where should I put plate?”

“Hamish?”His father asked slyly.

“Aw, but I’ve just got a second helping.” he groaned. His father eyed him. “Okokok, I’m going.” He grabbed Holly’s plate to place it in the sink. “Done.”

“Well you’d better ready Holly cariad. Did you see the cardigan I left in your room?” Gwen asked.

“Mhm, thank you.” Holly said as she left the table to retrieve it.

)(

Mr Williams guided Holly through the door into the building, the smell of disinfectant and carpet wafting unpleasantly into their noses. Several coughs and the quiet rustle of newspapers filled the small reception area that greeted them. On a row of plastic chairs sat various people, clearly waiting for their case to be called by the receptionist who absent-mindedly gestured to two spare seats as she talked on the phone.

Sitting herself down, Holly pulled the sleeves of the cardigan lower, as a faint chill permeated the room.

“All ok Holleh?” Mr Williams asked. “Professorr Dumbledorre should be here soon.”

“I-I’m ok thanks Mr Williams.”

“Call me Dougal.”

“Thanks Dougal,” she smiled. “I was going to ask earlier, but why is it, if i-it’s not too r-rude, that Gwen says “careead” and you say “grashern”?”

“Oh, they only mean sweetheart,” he explained. “Ya see, Gwen’s Welsh so she slips into it. And I’m Scottish, my family’s always spoken Gaelic, ye ken?”

“I-I think it’s really nice.”

Holly sat with rapt attention as Dougal explained his and Gwen’s origins and how they met when she felt a familiar presence. Looking up she saw Professor Dumbledore sitting in front of them, a disgruntled Muggle glaring at him. He wore azure velvet robes, a patterned belt kept his beard tucked away, a navy blue hat perched on his head. His eyes twinkled over his half-moon spectacles.

“And then I told my wee gràidhean, now ther-” Dougal stopped mid-gesture through his tale. “Albus!” he exclaimed, eliciting a few grunts from Muggles.

“Dougal, good to see you again. And I’m afraid that as enrapturing as your tale of conquest may be,” Holly giggled. “it will have to wait.” Professor Dumbledore gestured that Holly should follow as he walked to the desk.

The receptionist gave a gasp as she saw Professor Dumbledore.  Stunned she nodded brief notes as to where to find the room to him after he explained his purpose.

“I take it yew‘ll be escortin’ wee Holleh afterwards Albus?” Dougal asked.

“Indeed, Islay was it?”

“Aye, Kilchiaran Bay.” He turned to Holly. “Right Holleh, I must be off I’ll see you later. Good luck, not that ye’ll need it the way I hear.” He left the same way they had entered. As the door closed Holly could see him through the frosted glass looking left and right, before turning on the spot and vanishing.

Professor Dumbledore led Holly to another door, and opened it to reveal a corridor with several doors on either side.

“The receptionist said the second door on the left, Holly, if you would.”

With some trepidation, she walked to the second door on the left. Before she could open it however she felt Professor Dumbledore’s hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him.

“Holly,” he began, “are you nervous?” She nodded. “Not to worry, the people waiting within are only there to help you; your aunt and uncle are far from here. Speak the truth; it will help all of us I’m sure. If anything should happen I will be on hand as a temporary guardian. There’s a Muggle saying I do love: the truth will out.”

He opened the door and led Holly to the centre of the room. Behind two tables sat three people, two men and woman. All three raised their heads and Holly noticed their differing looks of surprise on their faces.

“Holly, good morning,” the woman in the centre began after a short pause. “I am Francine and this is Edward and Christopher.” She motioned to the men on either side. “How are you?”

“I-I’m good thank you.” Holly cursed herself for her quaking voice.

Francine smiled. “Good. We’re just going to ask you a few questions today to make sure the claims are consistent.” She turned to Professor Dumbledore. “And you must be Mr Durreldoor.”

“Dumbledore,” he corrected.

“Yes that. If you could take a seat to the side for the time being. Could you confirm that you are Holly’s temporary guardian?” she asked, seeming not to notice.

“I am,” he replied as he strode to the chair she had directed him to.

“Holly you can sit down now,” Edward, the elder man told her.

Holly jumped, before realising there was a padded chair behind her. She sat. Despite wearing a grey dress, it felt like she could have worn anything and not stood out less. Her palms were slick with sweat.

Francine smiled maternally. “Ok Holly, our report says that the Dursleys, your aunt and uncle, are guilty of neglect and it’s recorded several incidents of physical abuse.”

Holly blanched, she remembered Uncle Vernon’s frequent groundings, spending nights without food in the cold cupboard.

“Can you confirm that this is the case, Holly?” asked Christopher. “It can be a nod or a shake of your head of you don’t feel comfortable speaking.”

She nodded.

“Thank you Holly.”

“It also says that in some cases you were shut in a cupboard under the stairs, where you slept, for days at a time. Is this true?” Francine continued.

“Y-yes.”

“And on several occasions you were beaten?”

She nodded. Holly felt her eyes sting at this, true the beatings had stopped as she grew older and the Dursleys realised questions might be asked, but she still remembered Uncle Vernon’s fists after she had split milk or come home with a good piece of work from school.

“I-I” She didn’t know where to start.

“Yes Holly? We’re listening, and importantly, we aren’t here to pass judgement on you. Your side of the story is so much more important.” Francine said softly.

Holly’s eyes stung. She knew her story had higher priority than some cold report. It was just so difficult to say. Which is why it came out all at once.

“Idon’t...knowwhy-they-took me in-so I guess I’m thankful for that-but then-they lock me inthe-broom c-cupboard....every time I did something-they just didn’t seem to care about me unless I made a mistake....then th-they h-hated me. I just want my mu-m.” The three adults were taken aback. Holly could see through her tears, now flowing thick and fast down her face. “SometimesI’djust-crawl under the-sheets, a-and c-cry. I-I’d s-see all-childrenafterschool-they’d have their parents. B-but I couldn’t have mine-all I had was my aunt, uncle and D-Dudley! I hate them!!!!”

The pause hung heavy in the room, the only sound came from her sobs. It was all too much.

Holly felt a pair of arms around her, a voice whispering nonsense into her ear. Her breathing steadied and reduced to shudders.

“There there child, it’s alright.” Holly looked up from the chest only to be tickled by a mountain of white hair. Professor Dumbledore was looking down at her. “You did well. You did well.”

A small cough interrupted the moment. Francine was smiling kindly at Holly.

“Thank you Holly, I know that must’ve been hard for you, but we are very grateful. I’ll write up your testimony shortly and we should have the report completed.” She turned to Professor Dumbledore. “The charges brought against the Dursleys will be cross-examined, but I’m certain with this evidence that they will receive suitable punishment.”

“Thank you Francine, you have made things immeasurably easier,” he replied.

“And may I ask where Holly is residing at the moment?”

“She has requested to stay with her friends from the boarding school she attends over summer.”

“Yes, I suppose if that is ok with you Holly?”

She nodded.

“Good bye now” said Dumbledore. “So Holly, Islay?”

)(

Holly felt two things after landing: a sudden need to greet her breakfast again-which she promptly did-,and that her clothing wasn’t appropriate for the weather. Despite it not raining, the wind was blowing strongly and Holly’s dress didn’t quite cut it for cheating the gusts.

Once righted, Holly saw Professor Dumbledore had Apparated them next to a large barn. In front of them was a long track that led to a house.

“Shall we?” Professor Dumbledore suggested.

Side by side they walked up the track, occasionally stopping to let a particularly strong gust blow over them.

“So Holly, aside your escapades, how are you finding life now?” he asked her gently as they trudged, the wind buffeted them on occasion.

“I-it’s alright professor,” she answered, though on a prompting look from him she added. “A lot more exciting now, especially seeing as I have friends now.” She didn’t need to add anything about the Dursleys.

“If you don’t me saying so, I thought as much, friends are an intrinsic part of one’s wellbeing.” He nodded.”Speaking of which...”

Holly followed his gaze, a black speck was flying in the distance. It grew larger as it grew closer. Bearing down on them, Holly began to recognise the dot for what it was. Hamish Williams riding a broom.

He skidded to a stop in front of them, dirt flying.

“Hello professor, alright Holly?” he said as he dismounted. “I guess things went ok?”

“Hamish my boy, how very good to see you. Though I must express alarm at your blatant disregard for the Statute of Secrecy,” Professor Dumbledore cried, blue eyes twinkling.

“Haha, don’t worry professor, the Muggles are on holiday right now,” he replied.

“And how do you know that?” Holly asked, feeling emboldened by his presence.

“Dad gave them free tickets to Majorca,” he grinned.

“Well Hamish my boy, will you join us as we walk to the campsite?” Professor Dumbledore asked.

“Don’t see why not prefessor.” He said placing his broom over one shoulder.

“Why don’t you tell us a little about this lovely place whilst we do so,” Professor Dumbledore suggested. “I’ve never been to Islay myself.”

“Really professor?!Well I guess I could tell you a few thengs that me father won’t.”

 And so Holly let Hamish’s words wash over her as the trio continued their journey to the campsite. Occasionally he would point out a feature in the landscape before embarking on another tale. Holly was starting to wonder how many he knew when shouts stirred her from her musings.

Heracles was hovering several metres in the air.

“Let me down this instant!” he yelled. Ronnie was laughing below him.

“It’s not that bad!” she cried as she fell to the grass in another fit.

“Enjoy yourself Holly my dear, I’m just going to tell Dougal you’ve arrived.” Professor Dumbledore patted her shoulder before striding to the green tent in the centre of a trio pitched atop a small hillock. It overlooked the sloping field where Heracles continued to shout to Ronnie about heights.

“I guess we should save ‘im,” said Hamish as Heracles’s broom began to rise slowly higher. “He could get a wee fright like tha’.”

Hamish slung a leg over his broom and flew over to Heracles. Holly ran to where Ronnie was lying in the grass, recovering from another fit of giggles.

“Hi Ronnie,” she grinned.

“HOLLY!” Ronnie screamed, tugging Holly’s leg from underneath her.

Holly yelped as she came down. With a thud she landed, only to roll down the slope.

“Haha, Holly, come back!” yelled Ronnie.

Ne-v-er!” she cried in breaks as she tumbled faster and faster. Her hair whipped wildly. Grinning she came to a stop when Ronnie’s legs blocked her. “Urgh, Ronnie. Why? I was having fun,” she moaned.

“Because lunch is ready,” she smiled. “Dougal was just saying.”

“Fine,” she groaned, thrusting her hands for Ronnie to pull her up.

Once up, the pair walked back up the hill to the tents. Dougal sat outside on a camping table littered with food. Heracles, now with two feet on the ground, though still somewhat shaken, sat eating a sandwich.

Holly skipped over to him and slung her arms around his neck.

“Hello Holly,” he said stiffly.

“Great day for flying, eh?” She winked.

Ronnie grabbed a sandwich and bit into it. “Mmm, great food Douglas!”

“Thank ye Ronnie, good day so far?” he replied.

“For some, yes.” Heracles answered for her as she stuffed the rest of the sandwich into her mouth.

“Didn’t yew ask fer a go on the broom?” Hamish asked him.

“Yes well I didn’t expect it to quite so high.”

“You’ve seen-Holly-play Quidditch. Why did you-think it’d be different?” Ronnie said between bites.

“Guess you forgot then?” Holly chortled.

Heracles helped himself to some carrot sticks.

“Anyway I thought it’d be nice to go to the beach later.” Dougal’s thick brogue ended the argument. “Once you’ve finished you may want to get changed before we go Holly, ye ken.”

“Yeah, I suppose this dress is a little dirty.” Holly grimaced, glancing at the grass stains.

“Oh aye, jes’ a wee bit.” Dougal chuckled.

)(

Holly smiled as she walked along the path alongside Ronnie. A fresh set of clothes on, she had joined the others as they ambled to the beach. Dougal had packed their snacks and drinks into his burlap sack before slinging it over his shoulders; Hamish carried their wetsuits and masks whilst Heracles bore the body boards. Ronnie and Holly were left carrying the towels, brooms and a pack of tennis balls.

Ronnie, Hamish and Holly were engaged in a lively discussion about this year’s Quidditch league as Heracles and Dougal talked about school.

“Mmm, but Puddlemere’s got a strong side this season, those new beaters could pack a mean punch,” Holly pointed out to Ronnie.

“Aye true, but then again, I’ve heard Gwenog Jones has bin really working her team this year,” Hamish’s brogue reminded Holly.

“Whatever,” Ronnie grunted. “maybe the Wasps will make a comeback.”

“Pfft! I doubt that.” Hamish snorted. “They’ve bin goin’ downhill since Bagman left.”

“Yeah Ronnie, they aren’t gonna improve for a while yet I reckon.”

“So how are yeh findin’ school?” Dougal asked.

“Oh it’s marvellous, I think Hogwarts-gasp-is certainly life changing for myself,” Heracles answered. “Though I do wish we’d do a little more...on the theory behind it, I feel as though there’s too much emphasis on being able to perform spells. That said, I suppose I tend to grasp....the concepts quite fast.”

“Oh aye lad, Hamish tells me yeh’ve really got into thes. Don’t worreh though, there’ll be loads more theory at OWL level,” Dougal chuckled as they crested a dune. The path was becoming increasingly sandy.

“Wow!” Heracles gasped. 

In spite of Hamish telling her, Holly was struck by the brilliance of the white sand of the beach. It sparkled in the late afternoon sun. Rolling dunes hid the green fields they had come through and waves danced on the shore.

“Right, let’s go place our thengs somewhere.” Dougal led them down the last dune and plopped down his sack a few metres away from the path entrance.

“Swim first?” Hamish asked.

“Yes!” Heracles, Ronnie, and Holly cried in unison.

He placed his bag down. Opening it he tossed Ronnie a wetsuit. A muffled cry followed her catching it with her face. Holly giggled at this, dropping her load beside her to catch her own.

“Come on Ronnie, let’s get changed.” She smiled as she helped her friend back to her feet. She had seen a smaller dune that offered privacy.

They quickly threw off their clothes and not-quite-so-quickly assumed their swim suits.

“Gah these things are hard to put on,” Ronnie groaned.

“Ha, well at least they keep you warm,” Holly replied. “We should see where the others are.”

Emerging from behind the dune Holly spotted the boys running for the waves already. Heracles was dragging his board behind him whereas Hamish had chosen to carry his over his head.

Sharing a look, the pair grabbed their own boards and made a dash towards the surf. Legs pounding, heart racing, Holly squealed as she ran into the waves. She leapt over a second and a third.

“Woo!” Heracles yelled as he skidded past her.

Hamish swiftly followed him, bowling over Ronnie in the process.

“Merlin this water’s cold!” she spluttered.

“Ah Hamish, how cruel of you!” Heracles cried as he rushed back.

“Yeah why is it always me?” Ronnie groaned.

“No comment.” Hamish grinned before making a run for it, Ronnie hot on his heels. “Argh!” He yelped when she knocked him into the water. He shook himself when he emerged. “Right Weasley thes means war!”

Heracles glanced quizzically at Holly. She shrugged in reply.

“Help me Hera!” Hamish’s shout interrupted them, prompting Heracles to throw himself into the fray.

I should help Ronnie, Holly though to herself.

The mouthful of saltwater she received in the face that threw her off balance instantly made her regret that decision. Spluttering she turned to face her foe. Hamish smiled at her innocently.

“You can’t fool me Williams!” she cried as she used her board to bombard him.

As she abated Hamish came up for air. Holly however found herself staring at him. Through his suit she noticed that his chest had broadened slightly over the year. Holly’s breath hitched slightly at the thought, only to notice Hamish was giving her a befuddled look, an eyebrow raised.

But before she could say anything his hand leapt forwards and grabbed her ankle. Within seconds Holly’s legs had disappeared from under her. She barely had time to think “Bugger me” before her face was submerged by a roiling tide of silt, salt and Hamish’s laughter.

“Laddies and lasses, snacks are ready to go!” Dougal’s voice floated over to her.

Hamish offered her his hand which she gladly took. Ronnie was already racing ahead, Heracles following with the boards.

“Sorry Holly.” Hamish grimaced. “I couldnae resist with that look on yer mug.” He flashed her a grin before he too sped off.

Holly stood for a moment, wondering what that moment had been. Looking at Hamish she had felt very strange. Her train of thought was pushed aside by the realisation that Hamish had made a jibe.

“Oi Hamish, get back here!” she yelled as she sprinted to catch him.

“You’ll never catch me Potter!” He imitated Malfoy.

Holly tackled him to the ground with a burst of speed.

“Seriously guys, hurry up!” Heracles chastised.

“Hmmph, spoilsport.” Holly grunted as she got to her feet, offering Hamish a hand.

“Ah well, we should probableh go eat something eh?”

They trudged to the picnic blanket.

After they ate and changed back into their clothes, Dougal suggested they practice their skills by enchanting the balls he had brought so that they could chase them on the brooms. Holly beamed at the prospect and jumped to get her Nimbus.

Heracles was less happy about it but was persuaded by Ronnie’s wheedling to share a broom. He blushed furiously as he mounted behind her.

“Just remember, not too high or the Muggles might spot yeh, ye ken?” Dougal smiled.

“Throw the ball Dougal!” Hamish cried. Holly rolled her eyes at his irritation.

With a grin the first ball came soaring through the air, three brooms went chasing after it. On the ground Dougal directed the ball with his wand. .

The ball suddenly swung round and Ronnie swerved to avoid it, nearly throwing Heracles off. Hamish threw out an arm but quickly swerved away after Holly’s decision to leap off her Nimbus before landing neatly back on it on his other side, catching the ball with a deft hand.

Heart soaring, Holly flew back to Dougal’s waiting hand.

This game continued for a while, each time Holly catching it in ever more extreme ways. On the last throw Hamish and Holly were neck and neck as it skidded along the surf, their own feet trailing in the water. Ronnie and Heracles attemped a nosedive from above, causing both ball and Seekers to scatter to avoid them.

“Never again Ronnie!” Heracles shouted after recovering from a near fall into the sea.

By now the ball was being chased into the dunes, and the pair managed to catch up. Holly threw herself left and right to avoid crashing into the sand; she was creeping closer and closer to the ball. It was then that it flew upwards, like a balloon let go by a child. Holly was the first to streak skywards in pursuit, Hamish struggling to follow. Suddenly, the ball stopped and began a rapid descent. Holly barely had time to think as it whizzed past. Both hands released their grip and Holly plummeted like a stone.

Her stomach  clawing its way out of her mouth, she tumbled to the gasps of her friends. Holly spread spiralled after the ball, her greater weight propelling her faster. Her jacket flapped and wind roared in her ears as she stretched out a hand. Tears blurred her vision, but despite them she felt her fist close over the ball.

But then reality made its presence known and Holly whumped into the sand. She rolled down the dune, kicking up sand as she went.

“Merlin! Is Holly ok?” Ronnie asked tentatively.

“Only one way to find out,” answered Heracles as he approached her semi-submerged form, fist still clutching the ball.

“Shite, what are we gonna tell people at school?!” Hamish said, still in shock.

Out of the way!” Dougal shouted. “Hamish, fetch the ferst aid ket!!! Bugger me sideways!” Hamish ran to the bags.

But before anyone could so much as shed a tear for Holly Potter a muffled cry emanated from her prone form.

Dougal glanced at Heracles and Ronnie, before turning her over.

“I WIN!!!!” she yelled, then broke into a fit of coughing.

Dougal sighed. “It’s alright Hamish! She’s a tough one thes!”

Holly smiled. Walking up to her, Ronnie slapped Holly hard across the face.

“That wasn’t funny Holly!” she cried, her eyes already red. Then Holly found herself embraced.

 “Don’t ask,” Heracles said as Hamish wandered back. . Hamish shut his mouth.

Later, sitting atop the same dune, the quartet munched through a pack of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans.

“You really had us worried there,” Heracles said while they contemplated the vista. The sun was slowly making its way towards the horizon.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Holly replied.

“You will be,” Hamish winked.

“To be honest though,” Ronnie added through a mouthful of “yewch grass”, “that last move was awesome.”

“Aye, ferget Gryffindor, you should join the Harpies,” Hamish affirmed.

Holly blushed as she gazed in the pair’s direction, the sun glinting off Hamish’s now copper curls.

Turning back to the sea, Holly admired the views as a seal poked its head above the water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be the last chapter in the early years section (sorry). From here on we are getting far more invested in Holly, Hamish, Heracles and Ronnie's story. However also from now until July I will be preoccupied with studies for those lovely exams. So don't expect anything from me for a while yet. 
> 
> In other news, my proofreader has become increasingly cheeky. I've tried my best to remove her "contributions" but if you do spot one please tell me so I can remove it. :)
> 
> cheesew97

**Author's Note:**

> Erm, basically the same as seen in the synopsis, I hope you like it if you've read it this far. And yes, I am adding a secondary plotline that affects and will be affected by the primary and original plot. I'm hoping this adds interest, hopefully it has if you've read thus far. Thank you for reading(and enjoying?), please feel free to add constructive criticism, does wonders to my confidence.


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